Pilot Cup soccer: Knights wise beyond years

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Kaiser No. 1 found the trap door in St. Joachim’s

trapping defense Saturday en route to a 5-0 victory in the girls grades

5-6 championship game of the Pilot Cup at the Farm Field.

The Knights, who won the grades 3-4 title two years ago with virtually

the same team and lost on penalty kicks in the fifth- and sixth-grade

final last year, capped a dominant tournament showing that included a 5-2

semifinal triumph Saturday over Carden Hall.

“To be honest, we’re just better in every phase, because our girls

have a lot more experience than other teams,” said Kaiser Coach and

Tournament Director Kirk McIntosh.

“Every year, I coach a girls under-10 (progressive all-star team in

AYSO Region 97) and this was basically the same team that started with me

a couple years ago.”

Kaiser broke down St. Joachim’s defensive scheme, in which defenders

pushed up near midfield, by sending through passes into their opponents’

territory and relying on speedy forwards to do the rest.

“Once we pushed the ball through, it was a track meet,” McIntosh said.

Displaying sprinter speed all game was Crystal Mena, who netted two

goals to lead four Kaiser scorers. Mena scored on a breakaway to make it

2-0, then increased the advantage by placing a penalty kick just inside

the left post early in the second half.

Alexandra McIntosh, Alesha Young and Megan Munce rounded out the

scoring for the winners, who received two goals apiece from Mena and

McIntosh, and another from Young in the semifinal victory.

Kirk McIntosh also credited the defensive play of sweeper Munce,

stopper Katie Kay, fullbacks Shelby Porter and Cayla Porter, as well as

goalie Carly Ruiz.

St. Joachim Coach Marcel Gallardo agreed with the elder McIntosh’s

assessment of the difference in the final.

“(The Knights) have a lot of club players, they’re well coached and

very disciplined,” Gallardo said.

Gallardo, however, was extremely proud of the performance turned in by

St. Joachim’s first Pilot Cup finalist.

“Our girls did a fantastic job all tournament,” Gallardo said.

St. Joachim advanced to the title game with a 1-0 semifinal verdict

over Our Lady Queen of Angels. Sara Gomez scored the game-winner early in

the first half on an assist from Monique Gallardo.

Gallardo, Gomez, Lauren Devoy and Claire Josephson provided most of

the scoring punch in the tournament, the elder Gallardo said.

The St. Joachim coach also credited Ashleigh Allione, Marlena

Hamilton, Maliah Vivanco, Kori Ehrhorn, Jillian Fox, Kara Foster and

goalie Cora Busby (two shutouts in five games) with consistent defensive

excellence throughout the tournament.

Katie Puccio, Casey Chocek, Roxanna Vivanco, Jamie Heenan and Kelsey

Madder also contributed for St. Joachim. Jack Gomez was the assistant

coach.

Additional contributions to Kaiser’s tournament title included Chelsea

Head, Tia Shefflette, Caprice White, Alice Cope, Malia Hohl and Emily

Olhaver.