Analy, El Mo close out league season this week
The Lady Tigers are on the verge of an historic fifth straight Sonoma County League soccer championship this week, taking an unbeaten 11-0-1 record into the final stretch of the regular season.
Last week, Analy (14-0-3 overall) easily dispatched Elsie Allen (8-0), Piner (2-0) and Healdsburg (6-0) to remain atop the league standings, two and a half games up on second place Petaluma (8-2-2).
The Tigers will close out the league schedule this week with road and home matches at Sonoma Academy (Feb. 6) and Sonoma Valley (Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.). A strong finish would also insure a good seed in the upcoming North Coast Section playoffs.
“We close out our season against two very good teams in Sonoma Academy and Sonoma Valley,” Analy coach Brittney Briones said. “Our first games against both of these teams were barn-burners and we were fortunate to come away with a win. The girls know that they need to play well against both teams in order for us to have a shot at another SCL title.”
Tigers’ hat trick
Analy set the tone for a strong week in a Jan. 29 visit to Elsie Allen, getting goals from Maisy Butler, Macee Wacholz (2), Emily Gritsch, Lily Ziemer, Zaida Jenkins (2), and Jennah Copeland. Assists came from Wacholz, Isa Gilbraith, Deja Burry, Gritsch, Riley Yates (2) and Isabel Housman (2).
Analy played host to Piner two nights later, with Tannin Klunis and Housman scoring goals on assists from Klunis and Claire Brown.
The Tigers wrapped up a dominant stretch with a 6-0 shutout over Healdsburg, as Burry, Brown, Housman, Jenkins (2), and Copeland all found the net with assists from Wacholz, Klunis and Housman (2).
Credit goalie Kaija Bazzano with three shutouts for the Tigers.
Lions on playoff bubble
The Lady Lions (6-10, 4-7) gained a split in road and home matches against Petaluma (5-3 loss) and Elsie Allen (4-0 win) and are squarely on the bubble for North Coast Section playoff consideration.
Goal scorers against Petaluma included lily Dittman (2) and Kiara Garcia-Lopez. Finding the net against the Lobos were Risa Scott-Smith (2), Hailey Styskal and Garcia-Lopez.
The Lions will close out the season this week with home games against Healdsburg (Feb. 7) and Sonoma Academy (Feb. 9, Senior Night). Both matches start at 6 p.m.
“We’re down to only one sub because the rest of the girls are either hurt or sick, which really hurts us,” El Mo coach Emily Farrant reported. “Unless we beat Sonoma Academy on Friday we won’t make the playoffs.”
