HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS : Chatsworth Girls Win 4th Soccer Title

The Chatsworth High girls’ soccer players were singing on the way to their match Saturday, wishing teammate Stephanie Dubravetz a happy 17th birthday.

And there was more reason to celebrate after the Chancellors defeated Granada Hills, 2-0, to win the City Section championship at Birmingham High.

Chatsworth has won all four girls’ City title matches.

“The girls came in relaxed,” Chatsworth Coach John Kuhn said. “Surprisingly relaxed.”

Perhaps too relaxed, because Granada Hills took the first four shots on goal. But Chatsworth took a 2-0 lead before intermission on goals by Sherrie McKnight and Becky Andrews.

Goalie Kim Kuhn, the coach’s daughter, recorded her seventh shutout. Granada Hills had only two shots in the second half.

“We played good, at least the first 20 minutes,” Granada Hills Coach John Robb said. “But we kept hooking shots. And once they broke through, we started backing off instead of playing aggressive.

“Once we did that, it was the game. They have such an aggressive team.”

Momentum changed about the 20-minute mark of the first half, shortly after Granada Hills’ second-leading scorer, Kasey Miller, misfired on a penalty kick. The Highlanders’ next shot on goal did not come until the closing moments of the half.

The Chancellors, meanwhile, overcame an injury to halfback-fullback Erin Barry and took 12 consecutive shots on goal in the middle of the first half. Sophomore Merideth Marcus replaced Barry, who suffered a torn ligament in her left ankle.

“The difficult thing,” Kuhn said, “was making adjustments. With a thin bench, who is going to cover whom.”

The Chancellors dedicated the game to former Coach Bob Horn, who led them to their first two titles. Horn, who is suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), was named honorary coach of the game.

Chatsworth’s first goal came 30 minutes into the game. It was McKnight’s 12th goal.

Six minutes later, Andrews scored her team-high 26th goal.

Chatsworth defeated San Pedro, 6-1, in last year’s title match behind six goals by Mary Oades. This game was different.

“There was not one person that stood out, like last year,” Kuhn said. “Today’s effort was a team effort. The team pulled together.”

That included Dubravetz, a sweeper whom Kuhn said was instrumental in holding Granada Hills scoreless.