3-A Girls : Bonita Vista Gets Revenge and Title, 2-1

Bonita Vista High School had more than a few scores to settle Friday night when the Barons played Poway in the San Diego Section girls’ 3-A soccer final at San Diego High.

For starters, there was the Barons’ 4-3 overtime loss to Poway earlier this year. And, there was the fact that Bonita Vista has been eliminated four times from the playoffs by Palomar League teams without once returning the favor.

That’s why the Barons’ 2-1 win over Poway Friday was so satisfying. With one victory, Bonita Vista claimed a San Diego Section championship, avenged a regular-season loss and eliminated a Palomar team.

“It was more than just the game we lost (to Poway) earlier in the year. We were out to avenge the four losses in CIF to the Palomar League,” Coach Dewey Matthews said.

The victory also provided vindication for Bonita Vista’s style of play. Before the match, Gary Bradshaw, Poway coach, had said the Titans were the superior control team and that the Barons relied solely on speed.

Using its speed, Bonita Vista controlled the first half. It took a 1-0 lead early in the game on a goal by sophomore forward Laurie Christensen.

“We knew they were a great control club and that we had to out-tempo them,” Matthews said. “We’ve been doing a lot of conditioning just for that reason.”

The Barons got another goal shortly before the end of the half when senior forward Karen Shibuya took a pass from Marissa Stansbury and drilled it into the net.

In the second half, Bonita Vista lost some of its momentum, and the Titans had more success against the Baron defenders.

Poway finally scored with 10 minutes left on halfback Charry Korgel’s goal from 20-yards out. The score kept Bonita Vista goalkeeper Tracy Gibbs from getting her 18th shutout, which would have been a county record.

However, the Titans couldn’t manage another score.

Bradshaw took the loss philosophically.

“There were two good teams,” Bradshaw said. “Tonight, they were better. Another night? Who knows?”