Patrick elevates Newport Heights

Chris Yemma

With the swipe of one foot with just seconds to play, Holly Patrick

became the hero of the Newport Heights fifth- and sixth-grade girls

soccer team.

Her mere presence in her 5-foot-7 frame provided a sizable

advantage for Newport, but it was her last-second shot that lifted

her team to a 2-1 Gold Division Daily Pilot Cup victory over Rea No.

2 in the opening round of pool play Tuesday at Costa Mesa Farm

Complex.

With the score deadlocked at 1, Newport had several opportunities

to pull ahead, but the attempts fell just short. But in the 49th

minute, Patrick gathered a rolling ball in the middle and fired it in

for the victory.

“I was thinking we had to win because there was only [a minute]

left,” said Patrick, 10. “I thought it wouldn’t make it, but I was

kind of happy. It makes me really proud because this is a good team.”

Patrick’s presence in the middle proved to be the deciding factor,

as she put herself in the perfect position to win the game.

“It was a nice hustle to the goal,” Newport Heights Coach George

Pascine said. “It was important because the girls played really hard

and they did dominate. It was a nice win because [Rea 2] was a good

team.”

Zughey Salcido scored the initial goal of the game for Newport,

taking a cross from Remy Pascine on the left side, breaking away down

the middle and punching it to the back of the net for a 1-0 lead in

the first half.

Fernanda Perez evened the score in the 33rd minute for Rea 2,

lofting a shot from about 20 yards out over the keeper’s head.

But the stingy Newport defense, led by Sophia Evans, Claire

Castillo and Lei Hookana, along with goalies Layne Moore and Samantha

Parisi, set in for the remainder to keep the ball on the opposite

side. Numerous shots were taken in the final minutes by Newport, with

Bailey McDaniels and Chelsea Delameter leading the final push.

But it was Patrick who got the final say, giving Newport Heights

the final decision.

“This is good because it keeps us in play for the rest of the

tournament,” Pascine said.

Brenda Perez, along with goalie Cynthia Aguero, aided in Rea 2’s

effort.

“I thought we had a great team with great players,” Rea 2 Coach

Ana Moreno said. “They all played great. I’m looking forward to next

year.”