Girls Soccer Team Wins Regional Title

It required a journey to Casper, Wyo., but 15 jubilant San Fernando Valley girls ended up with a Western region soccer title Saturday by beating another California team in their 12-and-under league.

The United Valley Stars of Reseda defeated the Northern California San Juan Spirits, 8-0, making them Far West National Champions.

The Stars had toppled the Spirits, 6-0, two days earlier in quarterfinals, so Saturday’s championship win was not unexpected.

“They came out smokin’, “ said Stars parent and team manager Vic Fodor of Winnetka. He was referring to a goal 90 seconds into play by Kelly Lavery of Woodland Hills, the first of three she made during the game.

“We’re a tough team to beat,” said Coach Terry Davila, who is also an assistant men’s soccer coach at Cal State Northridge. “We’re very fit and strong athletically. Our speed and power overwhelms a lot of teams.”

The players--all 11 or 12 years old--were accompanied by three dozen family members and friends, most of whom flew to Denver last weekend, then drove five hours north to Casper.

The team then began a week of watching TV, reading, making lanyards and winning all six of its games. A 2-1 semifinal win over Colorado on Friday was the only close meet of the playoffs.

The Stars, first organized in the summer of 1993, won a state cup last year and a second one in March.

This year marked the first time that players in this age bracket could advance beyond state play. The 11-state Far West Region is as high as that age group can advance in championship play.

The team’s victories over the past week give it a 163-7 record over three years.

Keeping the girls focused was his main task, said team manager Fodor.

“Big-time coaches have told us that in a tournament like this, with the elevation and all, winning can be an endurance test,” he said. “So we’ve been keeping them quiet, rested and had them drinking lots of water.”

While some found Casper too remote, Jennifer Sarenbaugh, 11, of Reseda said she enjoyed the change.

“It’s a lot better than California because there’s no smog,” she said. “There’s lots of open land, lakes and rivers.”

After its championship win, the Valley contingent celebrated by driving 10 miles out of Casper into nearby mountains where they sat by a waterfall, watched deer and cheerfully ended a weeklong moratorium on fast food.

“At first you think all the training and practicing under the hot sun is really boring and tiring,” said April Millado of Canoga Park during a telephone interview.

“But once we got here, all our hard work paid off.”

Davila, known for his quiet but serious approach to coaching, thinks the experience of the past three years has given the girls much more than soccer skills.

“To do anything well in life, you have to work for it,” he said. “This is also about maturity and discipline off the field, how to eat healthy and how to take care of your body.”

He’s already thinking about next season and the playoffs scheduled for Salt Lake City. “We’ll be ready to defend our title,” he promised.