Santa Margarita Wins in Rout

Santa Margarita worked its game plan to perfection Saturday and won its third consecutive Southern Section girls’ soccer title, defeating Valencia, 5-1, in the Division III championship game at Cerritos Gahr High.

Eagle Coach Chuck Morales said he knew little about Valencia. He was aware of the Tigers’ high-scoring tandem of forward Alejandra Nunez (43 goals, 14 assists) and midfielder Katie Eatherton (28 goals, 26 assists).

Morales put junior Lauren Cozzolino on Nunez, sometime doubling her with freshman Daniella Bosio. Eatherton got jammed up in the middle. The seniors each took only one shot.

“Lauren did a good job on [Nunez],” said sophomore forward Katie Frattone, who scored two second-half goals for the Eagles. “Nunez was completely taken out of the game, because of her.”

After the Eagles (16-4-7) took a 3-1 halftime lead, Valencia was forced to fall back and try to hold off Santa Margarita. In turn, the Tiger offense weakened, taking only two second-half shots.

“We got pushed back and after that it was null and void,” said Valencia Coach Dean Winther. “Their defense had to look at only one player and it’s pretty easy to shut down one person with three defenders.”

Santa Margarita stunned Valencia (24-5) in the first minute of the game, when player of the game sophomore midfielder Jenny Anderson sent a free kick from the sideline to senior forward Sara Henderson, who stood waiting all alone in front of the goal. Henderson set up and easily sailed a shot by Valencia goalkeeper Ashley Nelson 47 seconds into the game.

Things looked better for Valencia when the Tigers scored four minutes later to tie it, 1-1. Junior midfielder Jenner Yamane sent a short crossing pass into the box and junior defender Joely Neptune headed the ball into the goal.

From that point it was all Santa Margarita. Anderson, who controlled the midfield for the Eagles, picked up her second assist, sending a corner kick to sophomore Carolyn Staples on the far post. Staples squeezed the ball between the post and Nelson for a 2-1 lead with 12 minutes left in the half.

Six minutes later Anderson drilled a free kick from 20 yards, putting it just under the crossbar and just over Nelson’s fingertips.

Frattone capped the scoring with two second-half goals. Five minutes into the half, she spun around goalkeeper Kim Miller and scored on a left-footed shot. In the 60th minute, she snapped a header past Miller.