The Willow Glen Resident

Central wins Far West crown

Girls' soccer team wins under-18 title in Albuquerque, N.M.

By Dick Sparrer

It's summer break for area high school students, and that means it's time for summer vacations.

But a vacation to Albuquerque, N.M., in the heat of summer? Doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun--unless, of course, you're a member of the San Jose Central Mercury girls' under-18 soccer team.

The Mercury took off to compete in the Snickers United States Youth Soccer Association Far Western Regional championships at the New Mexico Soccer Tournament Complex, located just outside Bernalillo near Albuquerque. And the local girls were impressive indeed, winning six straight games to claim the regional championship.

There were nearly 250 teams in Albuquerque, representing 13 states in the different age divisions. The Mercury beat teams from five different states to win the title, outscoring their opponents 41-1 in the six games. It marked the third straight regional championship for the Central Valley Mercury.

San Jose Central five straight games to advance to the tournament championship game last weekend.

The Mercury, led by a number of members of the Presentation girls' soccer team that won the Central Coast Section championship last winter, opened with 8-0 wins over Littleton United (Colo.) and the Cheyenne Sting (Wyo.) before crushing the Green Valley Wizards (Nev.) 7-0.

San Jose pounded the Les Bois United of Boise, Idaho, 7-0 in the quarterfinals before blanking the Southern California Blues of Dana Point in the semifinal round.

Central clinched the title with a convincing 8-1 win over Littleton United on Saturday.

Marcia Wallis and Aly Wagner pounded home three goals apiece, and Anna Kraus and Staci Duncan each scored to lift San Jose to the easy win in the finals.

Wallis gave the locals a quick lead when she scored just a minute into the game.

Wagner scored all three of her goals in the first half for San Jose, knocking in a pair of goals in a two-minute span midway through the half.

Central Valley's toughest game came in the semifinals against the Blues. Goals by Wagner, Wallis and Danielle Slaton lifted the locals to a 3-0 win and pushed them into the championship round.

Wagner broke up the scoreless tie when she knocked in a penalty kick 25 minutes into the game.

That's how it remained until the second half when passes from Breana Boling and Duncan set up Wallis for a score 60 minutes into the game. After that, Slaton's goal in the 70th minute off a Krista Boling assist was all the insurance Central Valley needed.

Littleton edged Soccer International (Utah) 2-1 the same day to move into the finals, but the Colorado squad had to be concerned since it had fallen 8-0 to San Jose in the first round of the tourney.

Duncan and B. Boling each had two goals and an assist, and Alyson Ratzburg knocked in two goals to lead the Mercury to the tourney-opening win. Slaton and Wallis also scored for the winners and Wagner had two assists. Wallis, Amy Jacobs and Heather McBain also had assists for San Jose.

The locals backed up their 8-0 win with a second 8-0 victory over the Cheyenne Sting. B. Boling led Mercury with three goals and a pair of assists in an outstanding individual effort.

Duncan and Jacobs each supported with two goals and an assist, and Wallis added a goal. McBain chipped in with two assists and Wanger and Ratzburg had one each.

It wasn't much tougher for San Jose in the third round game against the Green Valley Wizards. Central Valley ripped the Nevada crew 7-0 behind a strong showing by Wagner, who pumped in a team high four goals and dished off an assist.

Ratzburg came through with goals and an assist in the win, and Duncan drilled one goal.

B. Boling helped the locals with three assists, McBain had two and Sara Hoffman added one.

San Jose ran into Les Bois United in the quarterfinals and cruised to an easy 7-0 win with seven different players scoring goals for the eventual champs.

Wallis and Duncan each had a goal and an assist in the win, and Ratzburg, B. Boling, Hoffman, Wagner and Kraus added goals. McBain, Slaton, Jessica Crews, Jacy Giles and Jacob each came through with assists.

Wagner, a star at Presentation for four years, was the leading scorer for the Mercury in the regionals, burying nine goals for the champs. Wallis, a Los Gatos sensation who will play one more season for the Wildcats, and Duncan popped seven goals apiece, and B. Boling, another Presentation star, booted in six.

Ratzburg finished the tourney with five goals, Kraus, Slaton and Jacobs had two each and Hoffman hit one.

Soccer signups

Soccer signups are currently under way for teams and players of all different age levels in the area.

The Central Valley Crunch is looking for under-12 girls to play for its select Class 1 team in the fall. Players must have been born after July 31, 1986. For more information, call Tom or Marianne at 298-4815.

The Central Valley United under-14 Class 1 boys team is also looking for players. For more information, call John at 629-6739 or Debbie at 365-1987.

Signups are now being accepted for the PAL Rosegarden League. Registration is accepted 11 a.m.-3 p.m. daily at the Rose Garden Library. The cost is $50 per player. For more information, call 298-5724.

The Willow Glen PAL soccer organization is currently holding registration for the fall season for players ages 5-17. The cost is $50 per player. For more information, call 265-2144.

Signups are under way for summer men's league soccer offered by the city of San Jose. The cost is $360 per team for the 10-game season. Teams will compete in divisions 1-5. For more information, call 277-5556 Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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