Pomona tops Sonora

Chris Yemma

Most Daily Pilot Cup soccer matchups aren’t about scores, stats and

records, or who’s better and who’s worse.

Winning and losing almost blend together at the end of the day,

after the oranges have been consumed and the juice drinks sucked dry.

There was no exception to the carefree bliss at Friday’s third-

and fourth-grade girls Silver division matchup between Pomona

Elementary and Sonora.

It was a game of learning the fundamentals, with the majority of

the kids never playing the sport before. It was a game of

camaraderie, as the kids learned teamwork.

And if a winner absolutely had to be chosen, it would have been

Pomona, coming out on top, 3-2, at Costa Mesa Farm Complex.

“I think it’s a lot of fun just to have them playing,” Pomona

Coach Terra McIntosh said. “But to win, it’s even more exciting.”

Friday’s contest marked Sonora’s first game in the Pilot Cup,

while it also marked the first time Pomona come away with a win --

not that it matters.

Of course, there is a little more of a buzz when a team is

victorious.

“I felt happy that we won because this is the first time,” said

Jocelyn Arroyo, Pomona’s goalie.

“This was better because last time we lost,” added Julissa Arroyo,

who scored two goals to lead Pomona.

Sonora drew the first goal, as Amber Polega fired one in for a 1-0

lead. But back-to-back hands violations in the penalty box within a

two-minute span gave way to a 2-1 Pomona lead after Julissa Arroyo

and Cassandra Garcia scored the ensuing penalty kicks.

Arroyo added her second goal in the closing minutes, taking a pass

from Kimberly Garcia and sliding it through the goalie’s legs for a

3-1 lead. Sonora capped the game with a goal from Cindy Ramos.

Polega led Sonora, playing offense the first half and then playing

goalie the second. She blocked numerous Pomona shots to keep her team

in the game.

“She’s awesome,” Sonora Coach Cynthia Ramos said of Polega. “This

is her first time ever playing soccer.”

As was the case for most of the kids.

Other key Pomona contributors included Karina Salinas, Michelle

Becerra, Diana Herrera and Veronica Quinones.