Buena Meets Challenge on the Head

The Crescenta Valley High girls’ soccer team hit the road Saturday, searching for stiff competition in preparation for the approaching Southern Section playoffs.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, the road hit back in the form of a 1-0 nonleague loss to Buena in which Crescenta Valley’s top two players were injured.

Freshman J.J. Toohey’s goal in the 25th minute was the difference for the Bulldogs (18-2-4), who share with Crescenta Valley (14-3-2) the distinction of being a consistent regional power.

Toohey’s goal, her 11th, came when she raced to the far post and headed in a 20-yard cross by Melanie Montoya.

The Falcons played the final 15 minutes without sweeper Hope Robertshaw and forward Stephanie Rigamat, who has 38 goals.

Robertshaw departed in the 56th minute after absorbing a blow to her previously injured ribs. Rigamat wobbled off the field 11 minutes later, her left eye badly swollen after a head-to-head collision in midair with Buena’s Megan Munday.

Each team was somewhat short-handed even before play commenced. Crescenta Valley starters Shannon Moffatt and Julie Herrold were at Olympic Development Program workouts and Angelina Sanderson, Buena’s top defender, was at a school function.

For Crescenta Valley, the effect of its missing players was evident. The Falcons struggled to get the ball anywhere near Rigamat, who has scored 106 goals in her career.

“My team just couldn’t get it to me today,” said Rigamat, who was moved to the midfield in the second half in an attempt for her to touch the ball. “I had a lot of space but the passes weren’t there.”

The Falcons’ woes were caused by the play of Buena’s defenders and midfielders. Fullback Shannon Prentice kept a close eye on Rigamat while midfielders Munday, Barbara Almaraz, Toohey and Montoya created turnovers and attacked repeatedly.

Despite taking only three shots, Rigamat nearly scored on two of them in the second half. The first was a header that bounced off the left goalpost. The second was an open shot from the middle of the penalty area that was saved by goalkeeper Katie Maxwell.

“I shanked it,” Rigamat said of the second attempt, wincing as she held a T-shirt full of ice to her eye. “I had so much time and I didn’t even look up.”

Rigamat and her teammates have altogether too much time in many of their Pacific League matches, which is why Falcon Coach Judd Bogust scheduled defending Channel League champion Buena.

Aside from arch-rival Arcadia, Crescenta Valley (8-0 in league play) is superior to its league opponents, which include first-year teams at Glendale and Hoover.

“We play [bad] teams in league and it does us no good,” said Bogust, whose team was upset last season in the first round of the Division II playoffs. “We need to play good, physical teams to get ready for Arcadia and the playoffs.”

Buena senior Munday agreed.

“I think games like this are really good for us,” said Munday, who has appeared in two section semifinals and a section title match the past three seasons. “It’s exactly what the playoffs are going to be like.”