Daily Pilot Cup: Winter Simon’s goal lifts Davis girls over Sonora

Standing on the sidelines for a Costa Mesa Davis Magnet School girls’ fifth- and sixth-grade Bronze Division match at the Daily Pilot Cup can be somewhat comical.

Parents will shout, “Go Summer!” A few minutes later, it’ll be, “Go Winter!”

They aren’t rooting for seasons, just Davis players Summer Roy and Winter Simon.

“All we need is an Autumn,” Davis coach Claire Boyce said.

Summer actually led to a goal by Winter in Saturday’s Bronze Division quarterfinal match, helping the Ducks earn a 1-0 victory over Costa Mesa Sonora at Costa Mesa High.

Davis scored the match’s only goal in the 26th minute. A throw-in by Summer Roy went to her twin sister, Savannah, who sped up the right sideline before passing it in front to Simon. Simon’s shot went into the left corner of the net, just past Sonora goalie Tatum Faoliu.

The strike was enough to take Davis into the semifinals, where it will play Newport Beach Eastbluff Elementary at 10:30 a.m. Sunday on Costa Mesa High field No. 1. Newport Elementary plays Newport Heights in the other semifinal.

The Bronze Division title match is scheduled for 2 p.m. at field No. 6 at the adjacent Jack Hammett Sports Complex.

Davis’ girls have a team with just five sixth-graders and varying levels of experience. The Roy twins and midfielder Grace Boyce are the only ones who play club soccer. Claire Boyce, who coaches the team with Steve Espinosa, said primary defenders Marina Morton and India Howerton had never played soccer before a month ago.

Goalkeeper Hannah Forbes made three saves for Davis in the first half, while Angelina Espinosa made one in the second half. Tsega Yohanas and Madison Forbes are the other main defenders for the Ducks.

“In a few years, we’re going to see some great things from [Morton] in soccer if she keeps going,” Claire Boyce said. “And she splits her time between soccer and jujitsu, which is kind of awesome too.”

Sonora got two saves from Faoliu in the first half, while Joselyn Henriquez played keeper in the second half. One of Sonora’s tallest players, sixth-grader Citlaly Zaragoza, and the shortest player for either team, fifth-grader Angie Flores, led the Sonora offense.

Coaches Marjorie Velazquez and Alejandra Estrada guided Sonora.

Velazquez, who said she got her first taste of soccer as a fourth-grader in the Pilot Cup playing for Costa Mesa Rea Elementary, said she was proud of Sonora.

“We actually improved more than our first game,” Velazquez said. “It’s going to make me cry talking about it, but I’m really happy I got the team out here [to the quarterfinals].”

matthew.szabo@latimes.com

Twitter: @mjszabo