Strikers slip past Steelers

The USA Strikers combined just enough offense with a strong defensive effort in their season opener Saturday to defeat the Steelers, 2-1, in an AYSO Region 56 Under-10 Division boys’ soccer match.

After Steelers goalies Miles Higashioka and Max Beram had turned away several shots on goal, Gavin Kirkreit posted the first goal of the match with a powerful strike off a free kick in the first quarter to give the Strikers a 1-0 lead. In the second quarter, the ball control of Joshua Reichert and Connor Venanzi set up a goal by Drew Truxaw which increased the lead to 2-0.

The Steelers drew to within 2-1 in the third quarter when Liam Tye scored.

Despite getting off several other shots on goal in the fourth quarter, the Steelers could not score again on Strikers keeper Jack Truxaw and the Strikers defense.

In other AYSO action:

Girls’ Region 55 Under-14 Division

Energizers 4, Surf City Strikers 3

Paulina Vo scored the go-ahead goal late in the first half to break a 2-2 tie, and the Energizers went on to defeat the Strikers.

A goal by Megan Crawford, off a feed from Geena Martinez, had given the Strikers a 1-0 lead. But Jessica Epperson scored two quick goals for the Energizers, getting an assist from right forward Natalie Gordon, to give her squad a 2-1 lead. The Strikers, however, drew even on a goal by Martinez.

After Vo’s goal near the end of the first half gave the Energizers a 3-2 lead at the break, Epperson recorded a hat trick by scoring early in the third quarter. The goal, set up by Niki Geiger and Andrea Pettett, increased the Energizers’ advantage to 4-2.

Nicole Brashears scored to pull the Strikers to within 4-3, but four saves in the fourth quarter by Whitney Palmer sewed up the win.

Under-12 Division

Blew By You 2, Purple Piranhas 0

Goals by Makenna Neal and Kerry McDonald and the defensive play of Amanda Garske, Micaela Hernandez, Jaclyn Escobar and Natalie Martz, helped lead Blew By You to their first win of the season.

The play of midfielders Brianna Kutinsky, Kerry McDonald, Erica Fox, Amira Shweyk, Katelyn Lund, Jessica Johancsik and Jennifer Lucas also paved the way to victory. Natasha Mangham got the shutout in goal.

In club soccer action:

Wolfpack Blue, a boys’ Under-10 team picked up two victories last weekend.

Wolfpack Blue defeated the visiting Fullerton Rangers, 4-0, on Saturday, getting their first goal from Jake McKinley, which was set up by a cross from Cooper Kossick, followed by three goals by Connor Gordon.

The defensive team work of Devin Anderson, Daniel Klemm, Hunter Kling, Daniel Neff, Max Simon, Walker Thurston and goalie Teddy Stuka, held the Rangers scoreless.

On Sunday, Wolfpack Blue traveled to Whittier and defeated America United, 6-2. A goal from mid-field by Kling, followed by successive goals by Kossick and one by McKinley, gave Wolfpack a 4-0 halftime advantage.

After America United had cut the lead to 4-2, a goal by Thurston and another by Kossick, pushed Wolfpack back into a four-goal lead, 6-2.