Pomona uses what it has to get victory

COSTA MESA ? The Pomona Elementary third- and fourth-grade girls’ Silver Division team almost didn’t have enough players to compete in Tuesday’s Daily Pilot Cup opener against Sonora Elementary.

Only five players were there at the game’s scheduled start time of 6:45 p.m. Even after the referee delayed the start, Pomona had only seven players when the game got underway.

The Panthers’ coach wasn’t even in attendance, due to a prior commitment.

But those factors only served to make the Panthers’ 3-2 come-from-behind victory even more remarkable.

Pomona’s Celia Quijivix scored the go-ahead goal with less than five minutes left, the only goal in the second half.

Sonora jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by Paige Manfre, both within the first six minutes of the game. Both came as Manfre sprinted down the right side of the field and fired a shot into the goal.

“I knew the field was big, and I knew they’d tire out,” Sonora Coach Mette Segerblom said. “But for two-thirds of the team, it was their first soccer game ever. It was a big step for us.”

Down, 2-0, Pomona refused to quit. In the 19th minute, Martha Sarmiento scored from directly in front.

Three minutes later and just before halftime, Yaritza Sandoval scored on a hard shot that bounced off Sonora goalie Sara Moreno and deflected into the net.

The score was tied, 2-2, at halftime, but Pomona had the momentum. That didn’t change in the second half, although Moreno made a couple of nice saves on hard shots to preserve the deadlock.

Sonora also had a few chances in the second half, but a pair of offside calls hurt the Eagles.

With both teams tiring, the game’s pace dropped off considerably and Sonora’s strategy of dropping back three fullbacks ? compared to one for Pomona ? seemed to be paying off.

But as the sun set, Quijivix changed all that when she scored amidst a crowd in front of the net late in the game.

She jumped up and down excitedly, and soon all of the Pomona parents on the sideline ? most of whom had played coach during the game ? were jumping up and down too as the final whistle blew.

Segerblom said Karina Perez did a nice job on defense for the Eagles. Second-grader Makena Ochoa, easily the smallest player on the field, played a solid midfielder.

“It was a good learning experience for us,” Ochoa said.

Also on attack for Sonora were Elizabeth Armenta, Melissa Garcia, Guadalupe Gomez, Maggie Hernandez, Catherine Kricorian, Beatrice Maradiaga, Sulema Morales and Alexis Villcana.

Helping Pomona to victory were Candice Martinez, Edith Garcia-Bernal, Abigail Tabarras, Jennifer Luna, Ana Avelar, Emily Arroyo-Ramirez, Maria Medrano and Diana Arroyo.