Bellflower Is Keeping It All in the Families

Cathy Fong watches her players during practices and games and can barely see the field through all the family trees that make up the Bellflower soccer team.

The Buccaneers’ varsity roster includes three sets of sisters.

“It’s fun,” said Fong, the Buccaneers’ coach. “All the parents and families are there.”

There is another set of siblings on the junior-varsity squad.

“It kind of holds us together more because we are family,” said Jacki Goodban, a junior sweeper and team captain who is also freshman fullback Bobbi Jo’s sister.

Each set of siblings includes a freshman and a junior.

Besides the Goodbans, there are Chrislyn and Allison Young and Jessica and Danielle Montez on the varsity, and Christina and Raquel Ramirez on the JV team.

Soccer is a prime topic of conversation and a source of both camaraderie and competition in each of the households.

“We talk about it all the time, especially since we both play defense,” Bobbi Jo Goodban said.

“This is the first time we’ve played on the same team.”

That is much to the delight of their parents, who no longer need to split up to watch the girls play at different sites.

“It’s the year I’ve always waited for,” said Jackie and Bobbi Jo’s mother, Dawn Goodban.

“It was something I knew that they’d enjoy.

“They’re so close and they do everything together.”

Bellflower (9-8-2, 4-4-1) needs victories in its last two Suburban League games against Norwalk and Mayfair to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot.

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Speaking of siblings: Ventura High also has a sister act, with defenders Alicia and Natalia Coenen and goalkeeper Teressa Coenen each adding a different dimension to the Cougars’ squad.

“They’re three different girls, all pretty talented, all pretty good players,” Coach Mike Ishihara said.

Alicia, a four-year starter, has good technical skills and has played through a high-ankle sprain in order to complete her senior season.

“It’s my senior year and it was important to me to play, to be part of the team,” she said. “I didn’t want to miss it.”

Natalia, a sophomore, is the most aggressive and physical of the sisters.

Teressa, a freshman, started in goal all season. Because her position demands it, Teressa is more an instinctive, quick-thinking type of player.

“We’re totally different,” Natalia said. “We really don’t see each other as sisters on the field too much.”

Despite the Coenens’ efforts on defense, the Cougars (6-8-4, 2-5-1) have struggled because of a lack of offense. They ended their season with a scoreless tie against Santa Barbara in a Channel League game on Tuesday.

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Solving injury riddle: Walnut (17-1-3, 7-0-2), ranked fifth in the Southern Section Division II coaches’ poll, is winning despite injuries to two key players.

Leading scorer Kandace Wilson, a senior forward who will attend Cal State Fullerton on a soccer scholarship, broke her right ankle three weeks ago in an Olympic Development Program camp and is not expected to return this season.

Wilson had 18 goals and 12 assists to lead the Mustangs and the team missed her firepower in Baseline League ties with Upland and Don Lugo the week after she went down.

“She’s one of these young ladies who’s awfully tough to replace,” Coach Scott DeGraff said.

Junior goalkeeper Christine Rostowfske broke her left wrist in a practice around the same time as Wilson was injured and has been sidelined since.

Behind senior stopper Erin Diskin, backup goalie Roshena Chadha has played well, and others have picked up the offensive slack for Wilson.

“Actually, I feel pretty confident about our team,” DeGraff said. “They realize they can’t rely on one person anymore. It’s made them a lot closer.”

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Lauren Peterson