AYSO REGION 88 GIRLS’ UNDER-14 PLAYOFFS IF-NECESSARY...

AYSO REGION 88

GIRLS’ UNDER-14 PLAYOFFS

IF-NECESSARY FINAL

Brazil Power 2, Thirteen Ghosts 1: Playing on a muddy field and

under rainy conditions, Brazil Power (7-5-4) rallied from an early

deficit to cap its amazing run to the regional championship, knocking

off Thirteen Ghosts (14-3) on Sunday at the Glendale Sports Complex.

Destiny Buensuceso gave Patrick Chavez’s Thirteen Ghosts -- who

are sponsored by Jill Suarez of Dilbeck Realty -- the early

advantage, which held up until halftime, thanks to the play of

sectional all-star Julie Chavez, regional all-star Ashley Wood, along

with Sara Patterson and Stephanie Pizano.

Richard Kipling’s Brazil Power squad -- which posted a 2-4-4

record during the regular season, before putting together four

straight postseason victories en route to a berth in the championship

match -- tied the score in the third quarter, as all-star Nicole

Ambriz’s high shot found its way past goalkeeper Alex Glucks.

Thirteen Ghosts -- who tallied a league-leading 55 goals in 17

matches -- continued to apply pressure on the Brazil Power defense,

with sectional all-star Amy Bishop and defensive midfielder Ariela

Cruz leading an attack that produced 11 shots, but no goals, thanks

to the play of goalkeepers Molly Racanelli and Megan Turner.

Brazil Power scored the match-winner on a rebound shot by Liz

Veselich, but had to survive a few anxious moments near the end, as

Raquel Horowitz’s just went wide of the net and all-star striker Amy

Rosales -- who tallied a league-leading 23 goals -- saw her header in

the waning moments just sail over the crossbar.

In marked the second time in three playoff meetings Brazil Power

-- which is comprised of Ambriz, Rachel Cacciatore, Jordan Coelho,

Laurien Emrani, Carolyn Geoghegan, all-star Tyler Kipling, Sarah

McDonnell, Lissette Navarro, Racanelli, all-star Whitney Ralls,

Kelsey Ro, Turner, Anais Vartanian and Veselich -- defeated Thirteen

Ghosts, including a 4-3 overtime win Nov. 16.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Thirteen Ghosts 2, Brazil Power 1: Destiny Buensuceso’s golden

goal in overtime Saturday at the Glendale Sports Complex forced

Sunday’s if-necessary final between the teams.

Amy Rosales gave Thirteen Ghosts (14-2) an early lead with her

league-leading 23rd goal, which stood up until Brazil Power (6-5-4)

tied with Nicole Ambriz’s penalty kick in the fourth quarter.

Julie Chavez, Sara Patterson, Stephanie Pizano and Ashley Woods

led a strong defensive effort for Thirteen Ghosts -- sponsored by

Jill Suarez of Dilbeck Realty -- with Amy Bishop, Ariela Cruz and

Wendy Toscano orchestrating an offensive attack that accounted for 17

shots on goal.

Raquel Horowitz and Ariel Ross had two of those shots, but both

just missed out, which set the table for Buensuceso’s goal.

SECOND-CHANCE BRACKET FINAL

Thirteen Ghosts 0, Power Rangers 0 (Thirteen Ghosts win on penalty

kicks, 4-3): On a chilly night in front of a crowd that reached more

than 200 at the Glendale Sports Complex, Patrick Chavez’s Thirteen

Ghosts (13-2) and Chris Erskine’s Power Rangers (10-3-3) combined to

put together an amazing performance Wednesday.

Power Ranger midfielder Monique Corcoran and Thirteen Ghost

midfielder Amy Bishop engaged in a great back-and-forth battle of two

of the league’s best players, with Meghan Amado, Kendra Fellows,

Katie Hammond, Diane Joo and Alexis Osborn neutralizing Thirteen

Ghost attackers Raquel Horowitz and Amy Rosales.

In overtime, Power Ranger attackers Marisa Dodge and Emily Erskine

both had good opportunities, but to no avail.

In the shootout, Thirteen Ghosts took a 2-0 lead, but Katie

Hammond and Aymie Ballesteros both converted for the Power Rangers to

tie it up. Osborn scored in the sixth round to keep the Power

Rangers’ hopes alive, but Thirteen Ghosts won it in the seventh

round.

GIRLS’ UNDER-10 PLAYOFFS

IF-NECESSARY FINAL

Shooting Flames 2, Flaming Fireballs 1 (2 OT): Joelle Albarian’s

goal in the waning moments of the second sudden-death overtime period

lifted Rafi Albarian’s Shooting Flames (10-4-2) to a thrilling

victory in a match played in a steady rainstorm Sunday at Rosemont

Middle School.

Joelle Albarian also scored the Shooting Flames’ first goal in the

second quarter, leading her team -- sponsored by the Law Offices of

Falk and Sharp -- to its fifth postseason win, which matched its

total for all of the regular season.

After losing to Mike Adamson’s Flaming Fireballs (14-2-1) by a 3-0 margin Sept. 13, a young Shooting Flames squad regrouped and

continued its improvement throughout the rest of the regular season,

earning a second-round matchup with the league’s top seed Nov. 16,

which demonstrated just how far Rafi Albarian and assistant Steve

Kovarik had brought their squad.

The Shooting Flames posted a 3-2 victory, knocking the Flaming

Fireballs -- who outscored their opponents, 50-10, on the season --

into the second-chance bracket, where they had to win four

consecutive matches just to earn a rematch with Albarian’s squad.

The Flaming Fireballs posted their second victory of the season

against the Shooting Flames, recording a 2-0 win in Saturday’s

championship match at the Glendale Sports Complex to force Sunday’s

if-necessary contest.

But the Shooting Flames -- which scored only nine goals in the

regular season, but tallied 12 in the playoffs -- came back Sunday to

post the dramatic victory.

The Shooting Flames are comprised of Albarian, Charlotte Harrison,

Lara Hovsepian, goalkeeper Gabriella Kovarik, Sarah Magee, Isabella

Martinez, Ailyn Ramos, Madison Rich, Emily Sharp, Marisa Vasquez,

Andrea Velasquez and Irene Uy.

BOYS’ UNDER-12 PLAYOFFS

CHAMPIONSHIP

Silver Eagles 1, Hurricanes 1 (Silver Eagles win on penalty kicks,

2-1): Alex Ramos’ fourth-quarter goal gave the Silver Eagles the

lead, but the Hurricanes (6-4-2) tied the contest late in regulation

to force overtime in a contest playing under a steady rainstorm

Sunday at Clark Magnet School.

Harry Pessy came up clutch for Mike Sternau’s Silver Eagles (11-1)

-- sponsored by Parkview Pet Clinic -- in the shootout, stopping all

but one shot. Ramos and Ian Sternau connected on their penalty kicks

to force an if-necessary final between the teams at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday at the Glendale Sports Complex.

SECOND-CHANCE BRACKET FINAL

Silver Eagles 5, The Revolution 1: Alan Feil, Chris Kazanchyan,

Alan Lalaian and Harry Pessy all scored for Mike Sternau’s Silver

Eagles (10-1) in Saturday’s match at the Clark Magnet School.

Joe Hanna, Alex Ramos, Chris Rincon and Ian Sternau led a strong

defensive effort for the Silver Eagles, who dropped Carlos Pena’s

Revolution to 9-4-1.

BOYS’ UNDER-10 PLAYOFFS

CHAMPIONSHIP

Black Flames 1, Red Dragons 1 (Black Flames win on penalty kicks,

4-2): Tim McGinley, Alexander Najarian, Adam Bistagne and Nick

Sanzana all converted on their penalty kicks to lead Rameen Talesh’s

Black Flames (10-2-1) to a victory in Saturday’s championship match

at the Glendale Sports Complex.

After falling behind early, Corbin Southworth rallied to tie it

for the Black Flames -- who are sponsored by Bistagne Brothers Body

Shop -- who received good offensive production from Bistagne,

Najarian and Darius Talesh.

On defense, Kevin Gilmore, McGinley and Lars Perry-Huston anchored

a strong effort in the back, and Cory Gilmore and Thomas Mitropoulos

excelled in the midfield. The Red Dragons finished 10-3-1.