Roundup: Gregori girls soccer takes over first in CCAL with win against Pitman
The Gregori High girls soccer team knew what it was up against in Monday evening’s Central California Athletic League match at Pitman High.
The Jaguars were facing a league heavyweight with three of the last four CCAL titles under its belt. Both teams entered the match tied for first place in the league with 3-0-1 records. Both teams were looking for a win to propel them into the second round of league games.
But still, Gregori head coach Tracy Moore believed in the 23 players on her team.
“I have a really nice team this year, they’re all well-rounded,” she said. “They can play a lot of different positions. They come with passion and skill and flair and I think we have a great team culture.”
Both teams attempted to find their footing on the Pitman High turf as rain poured on the field. The first 40 minutes ended 0-0, but Gregori took control in the second half, scoring twice in the frame to secure a 2-0 win.
The victory put the Jaguars (9-2-1, 4-0-1 CCAL) alone atop the league’s standings through the first five games. They are chasing their first league title since the 2017-18 season.
A pair of freshmen connected for the Jaguars’ first goal with 27 minutes, 40 seconds left in the second half. Tracy Moore’s daughter, Audrey, found Rachel Warter, who found the back of the net. With 9:32 left in the match, senior Caitlyn Veneman scored off a pass from sophomore Kylie Farmer.
The Jaguars secured their first win over Pitman since 2016. Before Monday, Gregori lost 11 straight matches to Pitman.
When the final whistle sounded, there were hugs, smiles and cheers. The players posed for team pictures and had their own celebrations as they packed up their backpacks to leave.
“You know, they’re teenagers and they gotta do all their TikToks, their Snapchats and their Instagrams,” Moore said.
The key to Gregori’s win started in the midfield. The Jaguars controlled possession in the second half thanks to stellar play from Farmer and junior Alison Hou. Moore said Farmer “runs” the midfield and Hou “predicts the pace” of the team.
“They’re excellent, college-type players,” Moore said. “I have a lot of kids that want to play in college, so they work hard and they do a lot of training out of season.”
Pitman (5-2-4, 3-1-1 CCAL) coach Annabel Rangel also felt Gregori’s strong play at midfield helped decide the match.
“We had our chances, but unfortunately we couldn’t break down their midfield and we couldn’t communicate and work our way out,” she said. “It just didn’t go our way. We got outplayed today but hopefully we bounce back and finish the week strong. We still have lots of games left.”
The loss snaps Pitman’s three-game unbeaten streak, but the Pride have Modesto on Wednesday and Downey on Friday to get back on track.
Gregori has gone unbeaten in its past six matches, recording a 5-0-1 record. The Jaguars play Downey on Wednesday and Turlock on Friday.
“They’re really excited, they’re ready to go for round two,” Moore said.”But you know, we still have some work to do. … Working on our finishing and just being a little calmer around the box I think is something we can really improve on for the rest of the season.”
Girls soccer
Kimball 1, Oakdale 0: Oakdale lost to Kimball as the second round of Valley Oak League play started. The Mustangs host three of their final four regular season matches.
Enochs 4, Downey 1: Enochs sits in third place in the CCAL after Monday’s win over Downey. Chico State signee Caroline Souza scored the Knights’ only goal.
Boys soccer
Davis 3, Pacheco 0: Davis earned its fourth Western Athletic Conference win this season, shutting out a Pacheco side that entered the match unbeaten in league play. The Spartans continue their playoff push Wednesday against Los Banos.
Enochs 4, Downey 0: Seniors Jordan Mcdoal and Diego Virgen Gonzalez scored two goals apiece as Enochs picked up its third CCAL win this season. Christian Khanishian finished with two assists and Diego Lopez added a helper. Haidyn Stevens finished with eight saves. The Eagles have 11 wins overall, securing their second straight 11-win season.
Johansen 3, Ceres 1: Luis Flores’ goal was not enough as Ceres lost to Johansen in a WAC battle. Johansen travels Wednesday to Mountain House, where it looks to sweep the season series.
Gregori 5, Pitman 0: Gregori stayed perfect in the CCAL with a dominant showing against Pitman High at home for its eighth straight win. The Jaguars play Downey on Wednesday and Turlock on Friday, both on the road. Pitman plays at Modesto and hosts Downey to finish the week.
Boys basketball
Lathrop 66, Ceres 59: The Bulldogs are one of two teams with two WAC losses after dropping Monday’s key game to fifth-place Lathrop. Ceres is tied for second place in the league standings.
Patterson 61, Central Valley 43: Patterson outscored Central Valley 10-6 in the second quarter and 16-9 in the third to break the Central California Conference game open. Patterson has scored at least 60 points in 13 of its 16 wins.
Beyer 64, Los Banos 55: Beyer joins Ceres as the two teams tied for second place in the WAC. The Patriots earned a key win over Los Banos, moving them to 6-2 in league games.
Modesto Christian 88, Tokay 51: Marcus Washington (18 points), Myles Jones (16), Jeremiah Bernard (14) and Ross Widemon (10) each scored in double figures for the Crusaders. Modesto Christian trailed 22-14 after the first but coasted to victory with a strong second half.
Mountain House 66, Davis 44: Shamar Jones scored 13 points to lead a well-balanced attack against Davis in a WAC contest. Davis will search for its first league win Friday against Lathrop.
Girls basketball
Los Banos 49, Beyer 39: Beyer moved to 1-7 in WAC play this season after losing its third straight contest. The Patriots travel to Ceres Jan. 23 and Mountain House Jan. 25.
Johansen 40, Pacheco 34: The Vikings outscored Pacheco in the first, third and fourth quarters in Monday’s win. Johansen moves to 6-2 in league play, good for second.
Patterson 63, Central Valley 14: Patterson beat Central Valley to earn its sixth league win. The Tigers are 22-1 overall and are ranked No. 10 in the section, according to MaxPreps.
This story was originally published January 23, 2024 at 8:25 AM.
