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Head Games: Willow Glen's Michael Lawrence (left) gets his head on the ball in a 3-0 victory over Piedmont Hills. Lawrence had two assists in the game to help lift Willow Glen to the win.
Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Rams clinch soccer title
Defense is the key to success for Willow Glen boys' soccer team
By Dick Sparrer
Dustin Cohen didn't score a goal when the Willow Glen boys soccer team battled Valley Christian last week in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
But more importantly, Frankie Mata of Valley Christian didn't score either.
The difference is, Mata was supposed to score... Cohen wasn't.
Cohen's job was to mark Valley's prolific scorer, and mark him he did. The Willow Glen sophomore covered Mata so closely that the Valley shooter could fire off just one shot the entire day.
"[Cohen] was on [Mata] the entire game," said Willow Glen coach Sue Parisi. "He did a great job of shutting him down."
And the Rams did a great job of taking advantage of the opportunity by rolling to a tight 2-1 victory over the Warriors.
Willow Glen backed up that game with a 3-0 whitewash win over Piedmont Hills. The Rams are now 10-0-1 in division play, and have already clinched the Santa Teresa title.
Willow Glen, 15-1-3 for the year, closes out the regular season at Lincoln on Feb. 10, 3:15 p.m., and will enter the Central Coast Section playoffs next week.
"The team's doing real well, and is real focused on CCS," said Parisi. "Our defense has been the key for us."
It certainly was against Valley Christian, with Cohen leading the charge.
The coach also praised the work of goalkeeper Christian Jimenez, sweeper Saul Villatoro and stopper Rudy Ochoa--the team's co-captains--for their work in the two games last week. She also singled out backs Hugo Sigala and Manoa Rosales for outstanding defensive performances.
First-half goals by Oscar Garcia, off a Daniel Villafuerte assist, and Osbi Gonzales, off a Gilbert Lozoya assist, helped the Rams to the win over Valley to open play last week.
Villafuerte came back with three goals, two off assists from Michael Lawrence and one off an assist from Juan Rivera, in Willow Glen's 3-0 win over Piedmont.
"He had a great game," said Parisi of Villafuerte.
Willow dominated the game against the Pirates, but were locked in a scoreless tie at the half. "But in the second half we got it together," said Parisi.
Girls split
The Willow Glen girls soccer team split a pair of Santa Teresa Division decisions last week, whipping Del Mar 7-3 but losing a 2-1 heartbreaker to Westmont.
The Rams, 4-4-3 in the division and 7-4-3 for the year, followed Colleen Wozny's five-goal day to the win over the Dons.
Wozny, a former league most valuable player for the Rams, pounded in the five goals to lead Willow Glen. Lindsey Rovai drilled a goal and had two assists, and Samantha Bruni had a goal and an assist in the win. Lisa Hunter added two assists.
Arnone scored Willow Glen's lone goal in the loss to Westmont later in the week.
Panthers tie
The Presentation girls tied twice in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL last week. The Panthers battled Mitty to a scoreless tie to open the week, then tied Santa Teresa 1-1 two days later.
Alison Berthold scored off an assist from Jaime Moore, but the Panthers could manage just a tie against the Saints.
Earlier in the week, junior goalkeeper Marie Gutto was flawless in the net as the Panthers fought Mitty to a 0-0 draw.
Presentation is now 8-0-3 in the division and 11-2-4 for the year.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
