Flintridge Prep girls’ soccer conquers Prep League
LA CAÑADA — Calm and reserved, the Flintridge Prep girls’ soccer team huddled around the coaching staff at midfield. Then each Rebel shook hands with the coaches before retreating to their bench.
Once they got to the bench, that’s when many of the Flintridge Prep players began to celebrate after winning the Prep League championship outright Friday.
Backed by three goals and one assist from Helen Schaefer, Flintrudge Prep rolled to a 5-0 win against Mayfield in a league home match at St. Francis High.
Flintridge Prep (18-3-3, 7-1-1 in league for 15 points) needed one win in its final two matches to win its first outright league title since 2012. It split the league championship with Pasadena Poly last season.
“It just means so much to be able to win league on our own,” said Schaefer, who scored three goals in a four-minute span in the first half. “We have so much to be proud of and we can’t wait for the playoffs to start.
“We were able to go out there and find the gaps in order to score. Our defense played well again, so there are a lot of good things to take away from here.”
Flintridge Prep also got two goals and one assist from Julia Gonzalez, the reigning All-Area Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year.
“We felt like we could definitely compete for [the league title],” said Prep Coach Esteban Chavez, whose team has outscored its opponents, 25-0, over the past four matches. “There were a lot of good teams in the league, so we knew we’d have to work hard.
“We’ve been playing much better of late on defense and that’s a part of the game we want to make a strength. It’s great to win league again and we are trying to keep building on the program’s tradition.”
Flintridge Prep took a 1-0 lead in the third minute. Schaefer took a shot just inside the box that Mayfield goalkeeper Isabella Taglioretti saved. Gonzalez pounced on the rebound to score.
Then Schaefer began her scoring barrage.
Schaefer made it 2-0 off an assist from Natalie Brown in the 23rd minute.
She extended the lead to 3-0 off a pass from Gonzalez in the 24th minute.
Two minutes later, Schaefer completed the hat trick with Mona Cesario picking up an assist.
“She’s a complete player,” Chavez said. “Helen just finds a way to do a lot of things well and it helps the team out a lot.”
Gonzalez wrapped up the scoring in the 61st minute off a pass from Jillian Brady.
“I think we’ve gotten a lot stronger based off what we were able to do last year,” Gonzalez said. “It was definitely a goal to win league, but we wanted to win it and not have to share it like last year.
“You know you have the potential to win it, but you have to keep working hard.”
Flintridge Prep didn’t allow Mayfield (6-6-5, 3-3-2) to register a shot on goal in finishing the two-match season sweep. The Rebels posted a 5-0 win against the Cubs on Jan. 18.
