The Willow Glen Resident

Panthers return to CCS soccer finals

By Dick Sparrer

The Presentation Panthers are no strangers to Central Coast Section soccer competition.

The Panthers seem to get there every year, and Mani Hernandez's girls have won five CCS championships.

Now he and his Panthers have every intention of making it six.

Presentation opened the CCS Division II playoffs with back-to-back wins over Aragon and Gunn to advance to the section championship game.

The Panthers, now 17-1 for the year, will face Mitty in the CCS title game on March 4, 5 p.m., at San Jose PAL Stadium. The Monarchs enter the finals with a 14-6-2 season record.

The Presentation girls, regular season champions in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, ripped the Dons and Titans by matching 5-1 scores in the two wins to open CCS play.

Krista Boling and Aly Wagner knocked in two goals apiece and Danielle Slaton passed out four assists to lead the Panthers to the lopsided win over Aragon. Breana Boling also scored a goal in the win.

Wagner came back with a goal and three assists to lead Presentation to the 5-1 win over Gunn a few days later. Slaton and B. Boling each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers.

Megan Gurney and Kristen Gordon added goals for the winners and K. Boling and Rachel Neustadter each had assist.

The Willow Glen girls, champions of the West Valley Division of the BVAL, lost in the first round of the CCS Division II playoffs. The Rams were pounded 9-1 by Gunn, the team that would lose in the semifinals to Presentation.

Still, it was quite a year for the Rams. They tied Mt. Pleasant for the division championship with a 13-1 record, a year after going winless in a 14-game league season.

In other local action, the Pioneer boys lost in their bid to defend their CCS Division II championship.

The Mustangs opened the play-offs with wins over Alvarez and Santa Cruz, but they lost 4-3 to Seaside last Saturday to finish the season a game short of the finals.

The Mustangs, 10-8-7 for the year, knocked off Alvarez 3-1 in their CCS opener. Sean Buchanan drove home three goals to lead Pioneer to the win. Ryan McTighe, Andres Aceves and freshman Chad Ira each had assists for the winners.

Brian Sturges snapped a 2-2 tie when he scored off an Alberto Romo assist to give the Mustangs a 3-2 win over Santa Cruz. McTighe and Buchanan also scored in the win.

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