SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saturday, March 1, 2008

DIVISION I

Long Beach Wilson 1, San Clemente 1
Had it not been for the quick reflexes of San Clemente goalkeeper Hanna Turpen, the final outcome would have been decidedly different.

Turpen, a senior, used her quick reflexes to make a diving stop on a low shot that looked destined to end up in the back of net. San Clemente, seeded No. 3 in the playoffs, in turn used Turpen's save to get a 1-1 draw with No. 1 Long Beach Wilson in the Division I Southern Section championship game at Warren High on Saturday.

"It would have been a different game, for sure," Turpen said of her save, one of seven on the day. The Tritons (24-3-7), due to a coin flip, played as the home team and walked away with the plaque and the championship T-Shirts. The Bruins (25-1-5) took home the CIF patches, but both teams will get their own copies of everything. Still, the feeling of unsatisfied fulfillment was obvious.

Wilson played from behind most of the match. San Clemente sophomore Shelby Garcia gave the Tritons the early lead in the first half. A flicking header by the Bruins' Krosby Pabst beat Turpen in the 59th minute to knot things up.

This is the first CIF title for Wilson and the fourth for San Clemente.

-- Jaime Cardenas

DIVISION II

Thousand Oaks 2, Moorpark 1

DIVISION III

Mayfair 1, La Mirada 1

DIVISION IV

La Serna 4, Granite Hills 0

DIVISION V

Oaks Christian 3, Downey 1

DIVISION VI

Lancaster Desert Christian 5, Calvary Murrieta 0

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008

DIVISION I

Semifinals

Long Beach Wilson 2, Aliso Niguel 1 (4OT) Danielle Russell and Kimberly Marshall scored to spark visiting Wilson (25-1-4), with Marshall getting the game-winner. Wilson will play in the finals against San Clemente.

San Clemente 3, Mater Dei 2
With San Clemente down 2-0 at halftime, Stacy Finnerty gave her team some simple advice: just shoot the ball.

The Tritons (24-3-6) followed orders and scored three second half goal to beat host and defending champion Santa Ana Mater Dei, 3-2, in the Southern Section Division I semifinals Tuesday afternoon. Sophomore Shelby Garcia scored the equalizer with a tremendous left footed shot in the 33rd minute and junior Kelsey Wilson added the game winner two minutes later with an equally incredible left footed shot of her own from just outside the penalty box.

"I just wanted to take a risk and see what I could do," said Garcia, who started the play by switching the ball to her left foot and then launching a shot to her right that bend just inside the top corner to beat to the keeper. "I was looking down when I shot the ball and when I looked up...I was, like, oh my gosh, it's actually going in."

When the ball hit the back of the net, an astonished Garcia got mobbed by her teammates and surprised San Clemente fans leap to their feet in joy.

The Triton faithful got back up on their feet two minute later when, in an almost similar fashion, Wilson nailed the game winner.

"I hate to bring nostalgia into it, but it's like a Cinderella story," Finnerty said. "For them to comeback it's surreal." The Tritons will square off against top seed Long Beach Wilson (25-1-4) in the finals on Saturday. The Bruins advanced to the championship game with a 2-1 win against host Aliso Niguel earlier in the day.

Mater Dei's goals were scored by senior Justyne Freud in the first half. Freshman Frannie Cox scored San Clemente's first goal two minutes into the second half. Triton goalkeeper Hanna Turpen, a senior, finished the game with eight saves.

-- Jaime Cardenas


DIVISION II

Semifinals

Moorpark 1, Agoura 0 (OT)
Thousand Oaks 1, Walnut 0

DIVISION III

Semifinals

La Mirada 1, Santa Monica 1 (La Mirada advances on penalty kicks, 4-1)
Jasmine Herrera gave La Mirada (17-7-6) a 1-0 lead in the 64th minute, then Santa Monica tied it three minutes later. The Matadores prevailed in the shootout to advance to its first-ever Southern Section final.

Mayfair 2, Corona Santiago 0
Senior Nicole Hubbard scored both goals as top-seeded Mayfair advances to the division finals Saturday against Suburban League rival La Mirada. The Long Beach State-bound Hubbard now has 143 goals for her four seasons with the Monsoons.

DIVISION IV

Semifinal

La Serna 1, Bishop Montgomery 0
Nicole Reed scored the lone goal and Nicole Godinez had five saves to lead host La Serna (25-3). Bishop Montgomery finished 12-6-2. La Serna will play Granite Hills in the finals Saturday.

Granite Hills 3, Serrano 2 (2 OT)

DIVISION V

Semifinals

Oaks Christian 2, Oak Park 1
Kristin Clark scored in the 79th minute to lift Oaks Christian (21-3-2) to its fifth section championship game in the past six years. Alexandra Courtnall tied the game for the Lions midway thru the second half as host Oak Park had taken a 1-0 halftime lead.

Downey 0, South Torrance 0 (Downey advances, 8-7 on penalties)

DIVISION VI

Semifinals

Calvary Murrieta 3, St. Margaret's 0
Amanda Lammers, Sara Stousta and Ashley Broadmann all scored a goal as second-seeded Calvary Murietta (23-2-1) advances to the division title game Saturday.

Lancaster Desert Christian 2, Viewpoint 0
Shae Richards and Kara Eskenazi each scored for Desert Christian (25-0-1) in the victory over host Viewpoint.

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

Schedule

DIVISION I

Semifinals, Tuesday, 3 p.m.

#1 Long Beach Wilson at Aliso Niguel
#3 San Clemente at Mater Dei

DIVISION II

Semifinals, Tuesday, 3 p.m.

Agoura at Moorpark
Thousand Oaks at Walnut

DIVISION III

Semifinals, Tuesday, 3 p.m.

Corona Santiago at #1 Mayfair
Santa Monica at La Mirada

DIVISION IV

Semifinals, Tuesday, 3 p.m.

#1 Serrano at #4 Granite Hills
Bishop Montgomery at #3 La Serna

DIVISION V

Semifinals, Tuesday, 3 p.m.

Downey at #1 South Torrance
#2 Oaks Christian at Oak Park

DIVISION VI

Semifinals, Tuesday, 3 p.m.

#1 Lancaster Desert Christian at Viewpoint St. Margaret's at #2 Calvary Murrieta