South Fork Girls Soccer Win 1, Lose 2 Last Week

Junior midfielder Sophia Wallace-Boyd, shown here at Ferndale last Wednesday, leads the Lady Cubs with 5 assists on the season [photo by Crystal Salomon]

South Fork High’s Lady Cubs varsity soccer team traveled three times last week, losing 6-4 to Calistoga on Monday, beating Ferndale 4-2 on Wednesday and falling to St. Bernard’s 8-2 on Friday. The team’s record now stands at 4-6-2 overall, 2-3-1 against small schools. With just two small schools left to play, the Lady Cubs will have to win both or win one and tie one to qualify for the North Coast Section post season tournament in November.

South Fork looked sluggish in the opening minutes of the game at Calistoga last Monday and the home side was quick to pounce on a penetrable defense, jumping out ahead 4-0 within the first 20 minutes. The Lady Cubs settled down and held Calistoga for the rest of the half.

The second half started with South Fork taking control of the game to mount a comeback and scoring within the first few minutes as freshman winger Alahni Christianson passed a through ball to junior striker Kylie Messenger who beat the keeper with a 10 yard shot from the right side.

The Lady Cubs continued to press and Messenger took the ball down the left side and crossed it to senior striker Olivia Baffert who headed it in from 5 yards out. Messenger scored again on a direct free kick from 25 yards out to make the score 4-3, and then Baffert scored again tapping in a deflected shot by Messenger that the Calistoga keeper could not handle to tie the game.

The Lady Cubs would have settled for a tie, but Calistoga had other ideas, scoring twice more before the final whistle for the win.

On Wednesday the Lady Cubs traveled to Ferndale, having fallen to the Wildcats 4-0 last month in Miranda. To preserve a chance of playing the post season, this was a do or die match for South Fork. The Lady Cubs created several scoring chances in the first half but could not finish. Sophomore goalie Paloma Avilez made an outstanding leaping save to keep Ferndale scoreless in the first half.

Sophomore sweeper Harley Bates clears the ball out of her penalty box last Wednesday at Ferndale. [Photo by Crystal Salomon]

In the second half, South Fork began to dominate possession as junior center midfielder  Sophia Wallace-Boyd took control of the midfield, winning loose balls and distributing passes to her strikers.

Messenger scored first, on an assist by Wallace-Boyd. Baffert added to the tally by driving a low hard shot just inside the right post beyond the keeper’s reach. Messenger then scored on a direct free kick from 30 yards out, and then polished off her hat-trick by collecting a long pass from freshman midfielder Kaylee Pogue and drilling a hard shot across the face of the goal into the back corner.

Ferndale pressed hard in the final minutes and managed to score twice but the Lady Cubs hung on for the win. Outstanding defense by senior stopper Daphne Hobbs, senior fullback Stef Bautista, Sophomore sweeper Harley Bates, and freshman fulback Jaylenne Harris.

On Friday South Fork was no match for small school powerhouse St. Bernard’s. Having tied the private school 2-2 last month in Miranda, the Crusaders dominated, scoring within the first minute. By halftime they had added four more, and the Cubs were playing on their heels. Baffert finally broke through the Crusader back line on a through ball from Wallace-Boyd and beat the keeper for the only South Fork goal of the half.

In the second half, the Crusaders scored three more times and the Lady Cubs got just one as Messenger scored off an assist by Baffert. Messenger now leads the team in goals on the season with 10, followed by Baffert with 8. Wallace-Boyd leads the team in assists with five.

This week the Cubs will host McKinleyville on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. kick-off. Mack defeated South Fork 4-1 last month. On Saturday South Fork will host Eureka with a 1 p.m. kick-off. Eureka won the early season contest 9-0.

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Jerry Latsko
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Jerry Latsko
6 years ago

This team can be good. They have not been consistently good but with more experience that should come. Their spirit cannot be doubted.