Eagles handle Sharks

Barry Faulkner

A pair of hard-fought, 1-0 victories in its first two games gave an

indication that a third straight Daily Pilot Cup title was anything

but assured for the Carden Hall fifth- and sixth-grade Gold division

girls soccer team.

But Friday’s 5-0 thumping of Rea 2, at the Costa Mesa Farm

Complex, left little doubt that the Eagles are among this year’s

foremost championship threats.

“They want to maintain the Carden Hall legacy,” said Barb Yeager,

the coach of the last two championship teams who is assisting head

man Barry Zimmermann this season.

Carden Hall, which scored in the final three minutes, Yeager said,

to top Newport Heights Wednesday, after defeating Mariners Christian,

1-0, in the pool-play opener Tuesday, had the pool A championship

wrapped up regardless of Friday’s outcome.

But that outcome became apparent quickly as Carden Hall scored in

the fourth and sixth minute and dominated the entire game.

Rea, which concludes its tournament 0-3, did not attempt a shot

and seldom moved the ball past midfield.

Meanwhile, Carden Hall, which is built around the defensive

prowess of back-liners Alison Gordon and Tabitha Goff, kept peppering

the ball in the attacking zone until results followed.

Gordon, who scored the game-winner against Newport Heights, struck

first, ripping an arching shot from 30 yards out that sailed over the

Rea goalie, but under the crossbar for the game’s first score.

Just two minutes later, Tori Brown found the left corner from the

right wing and the Eagles had doubled their tournament scoring total

before some parents had arrived from work.

Lauren D’Ippolito, Lisa Matthews, Jordan Murrel, Michelle

Lancaster, Kathryn Zimmermann and Annie Capaldi all contributed to

Carden Hall’s offensive dominance in the first 25 minutes.

That dominance increased in the first four minutes of the second

half, when Carden Hall scored three times, despite directions from

their coaches to tone down the attack with sportsmanship on their

minds.

D’Ippolito put in the rebound of a Mary Yeager shot that deflected

off the goalkeeper to start the second-half outburst.

Gordon found the net from near the end line on a tough angle shot

that made it 4-0.

Lancaster completed the scoring with another tally, before the

Carden Hall coaches could fully make their point that they desired no

more goals.

“We put sportsmanship first at Carden Hall,” said Barb Yeager, who

along with Barry Zimmeremann, began shifting personnel in the first

half and later instructed their players simply to pass the ball

around at midfield.

Natalie Barbaresi was also in the center of things for the

winners, who split time in goal between Morgan Williams (first half)

and Browne (second half). Andee Keith rounded out the roster for

Carden Hall.

Rea Coach Ana Moreno singled out the play of Brenda Perez.

Additional Rae players included goalies Anahi Enriquez and Zuleyma

Guzman, as well as Aimee Camberos, Alma Terriquez, Jenny Rubalcaba,

Beatrice Perdomo, Joanna Saavedra, Brittney Galvan, Itzel Lara, Aimee

Tejada, Thelma Guerrero, Shantelle Gonzalez and Valeria Hernandez.