NorCal playoff roundup: Maria Carrillo girls ousted on penalty kicks

Maria Carrillo fought back from a 3-1 deficit in the final minutes to force a penalty shootout with second-seeded Clovis in a CIF NorCal Division II regional girls soccer game.

But the Cougars were one shot better, winning 6-5 in penalty kicks after a 3-3 regular-time tie and overtime.

Puma senior Ashley Frye scored a hat trick - all three of her team's goals - in the away elimination game.

“It was an incredible game from start to finish,” coach Michael Cox said. “As far as intensity goes, we brought it early. We knew Clovis was going to come back with it and they did.”

Sixth-seeded Carrillo scored first, about 25 minutes in, as Frye netted a shot from distance, just over the outstretched fingers of Elizabeth Zepeda. Cassady Carpenter got the assist.

But the Cougars roared back, scoring three in a row in the early second half.

Frye grabbed one back, though, with five minutes left in the game, off a Julia Pell assist.

But it began to feel desperate, as time was counting down and the Pumas trailed 3-2.

With just seconds on the clock and the referee about ready to end the game, Frye took a cross from Pell and poked the ball past the Clovis keeper to send the game into overtime.

“I swear, he had the whistle in his mouth,” Cox said. “One more touch and that would have been it.”

Neither team scored in overtime, forcing it into a penalty shootout.

“I was secure with PKs,” Cox said. “We practice them all season. I have my first five and my second five. I was confident all 10 could score. And our saving grace, I knew Taylor (Little, the senior goalkeeper) was going to get at least one save.”

She did, but was whistled for leaving her line too early.

The teams traded five successful penalty kicks each, but the sixth Puma shot hit the crossbar and Clovis was able to net its sixth penalty shot for the win.

Cox applauded Frye's competitiveness and all his seniors' drive in the waning minutes of the game.

“Even when it was bleak, they never gave up,” he said. “They pushed and they showed the freshmen, sophomores and juniors what it's like to be mentally tough.”

Boys soccer

Natomas 5, Cardinal Newman 1

The Cardinal Newman boys ended their season on a rough note, but walked away with heads held high, coach Ryan Corriveau said.

A 5-1 loss at home to No. 7 Natomas of Sacramento eliminated the No. 6 Cardinals from the CIF NorCal Division IV regional soccer tournament Thursday.

After finishing the North Bay League-Redwood Division just 5-5-2, the Cardinals put together a deep run into the postseason. They advanced to the North Coast Section Division 4 title game before losing to St. Mary's, but continued into the NorCal regionals, where they upset No. 3 Pleasant Valley Tuesday.

“You can't even be upset about it because it's more than a team, it's a family,” Corriveau said. “As a coaching staff, a school, a team, they really love each other. You lose the game, but that's why we love sports, it teaches us life lessons.”

Newman scored first on the Nighthawks, as junior Hagan Jackson took the ball at the top of the box, made a left-footed cut and drilled a line drive into the net.

But from there out, the game was all Natomas, thanks to the Nighthawks' Bryan Gutierrez. The 6-1 center-forward, who has played on varsity since he was a freshman, was instrumental in every goal his team scored. He finished with two goals and three assists.

Newman ends its season 17-8-3 overall.

Boys basketball

Lincoln-San Francisco 79, Clear Lake 42

The 10th-seeded Cardinals were hoping for another upset after Tuesday's takedown of No. 7 Kingsburg, but it wasn't to be as the second-seeded Lincoln Mustangs overwhelmed them Thursday in San Francisco.

Lincoln won 79-42 in the NorCal regional Division IV second round.

Tyler Cerini led Clear Lake with 15 points and Jaron Mertle added eight.

The game was essentially decided in the second quarter, when junior Clear Lake guard Donavin Valadez rolled his ankle and had to sub out. Lincoln, a speedy team, turned it on and outscored the Cardinals 38-12 in the quarter.

“Their team quickness is just off the chart,” Cardinals coach Scott DeLeon said. “They play tremendous pressure defense ... With him off the floor, they just went on a roll. I was tending to Donavin and the next thing I know they were up by 30.

“They can score quicker than any team we've played this year. They have a relentless pressure and they finish. We just had no answer.”

The Mustangs led 55-25 at the half.

“I reminded them at halftime that there are three (NCS) Division 5 schools left playing in the NorCal state championship tournament ... That puts us in pretty rare company,” DeLeon said.

The Cardinals finish 27-5 after a 14-0 romp through the North Central League I.

Girls basketball

Argonaut 60, Cloverdale 49

The second-seeded Mustangs were too much for the Eagles Thursday in a girls Division IV NorCal regional in Amador County.

Cloverdale, seeded seventh, downed No. 10 Enterprise 62-40 on Tuesday, but couldn't rally to upset the 30-4 Mustangs.

After a close first quarter, Argonaut outscored the Eagles 17-7 in the second quarter, taking a 32-20 halftime lead. The Eagles were never able to recover from the deficit.

Cloverdale went undefeated in its North Central League I season, finished 25-3 overall and winning the Division 5 NCS title.