Chaminade Sends Valentine, Sticks It to El Modena, 2-1

Credit Chaminade High’s victory to hard-nosed play, a crucial goal and . . . carrot power.

Midfielder Jen Valentine broke a 1-1 tie by scoring her seventh goal with three minutes to play, lifting Chaminade past El Modena, 2-1, Saturday night in the Southern Section Division III girls’ soccer final at Gahr High.

The Eagles utilized a significant size advantage and matched the Vanguards’ speed, then capitalized in timely fashion.

The winning play began with a throw-in deep in the El Modena end by Kerrie Clavadetscher. The ball went to teammate Heather Cole on the right side of the penalty area and Cole’s crossing pass rolled through a crowd to Valentine on the left side.

Without stopping the ball, Valentine kicked it in from 15 yards and Chaminade (23-3-3) had its first section title.

“When the ball was coming I knew it would be my only chance, and I had to score if we wanted the championship,” Valentine said.

Give some of the credit to superstition. As they had for the past 16 matches, Chaminade Coach Mike Evans and sweeper Erin Kelley exchanged a small, peeled carrot that Kelley tucked into her shirt.

The carrot fell out at halftime, but another was found.

“We eat [carrots] for pregame snacks and she used one for luck one day,” Evans said. “We’ve been doing it ever since.”

Third-seeded Chaminade scored first, in the 52nd minute, when Nikki Zar lofted a 10-yard shot under the crossbar after receiving a crossing pass from Clavadetscher.

Fourth-seeded El Modena (19-8-2), which won the Division II title last season but was moved to Division III in realignment, tied the match six minutes later on a goal by Kerry Anderson.