Quick Pick-Me-Up Starts Chatsworth on Its Way, 6-0

Kim Pickup’s first flip throw-in six minutes into the City Section 4-A Division girls’ soccer championship Saturday at East Los Angeles College drew oohs and ahs from the crowd.

Her second, four minutes later, gave Chatsworth High all the scoring it would need en route to a 6-0 thrashing of San Pedro (15-7-1).

Pickup, a former gymnast, often looks to send her throws to teammate Michelle George, planting the ball on the ground and using it as the base for a front handspring.

Her first throw reached its target and was headed wide of the goal by George.

Her second was slightly off the mark but gave Chatsworth a 1-0 lead when Pirate goalkeeper Mia Ciketic punched it into the upper corner of the net.

Chatsworth (19-0-1) won the championship game the same way it has many others this season--by a wide margin. It was the Chancellors’ third victory this season over San Pedro--Chatsworth won regular-season meetings with its League A rival by 5-2 and 3-1 scores.

The Chancellors lost last season’s division title game to Grant, 1-0, and were upset in the semifinals by San Pedro two seasons ago.

“We knew we had to come out and win today, because the last two years we were the better team, and we didn’t win,” said George, a senior who has signed to play at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo next season. “Definitely, [playing San Pedro] was another incentive for us.”

In last year’s title match, Pickup was ejected after receiving a pair of yellow-card warnings for rough play. Grant scored shortly thereafter.

Pickup wasn’t about to make the same mistake this year. She even played peacemaker, stopping teammate Liz Gonzalez from retaliating against a San Pedro player who had fouled her.

“I told her, ‘Look where it got me last year,’ ” said Pickup, a senior who has signed with Santa Clara.

Chatsworth led, 3-0, after Jackie Fodor scored in the 19th minute and George lofted a shot under the crossbar after collecting a free kick from Pickup in the 21st minute.

The Chancellors received second-half goals from Pickup, Corinne Briers and Fodor. Ariella Loewenstein had six saves.