Big time teams, players on display at Tri-Valley Classic

The big names were out in full force at Sycamore Valley Park in Danville, California this past weekend, as big time programs from all over the state showed up for the Tri-Valley Classic. With big time programs come big time players, and this event certainly was not lacking for star power. The TVC featured close games, big wins and great individual performances.   Here is a look at some of the teams and players involved.   Archbishop Mitty   The Monarchs stayed unbeaten after six matches on the season, going 2-0-1 over the weekend. They beat Montgomery 5-0 on Thursday, then on Friday drew with San Clemente, 1-1. They finished off an unbeaten TVC appearance with a 3-1 win over Lincoln of Stockton.   Against Montgomery, [player_tooltip player_id='19330' first='Elise' last='Picard'], [player_tooltip player_id='19981' first='Murphy' last='Walsh'] and Taylor Eagleson all scored goals, while [player_tooltip player_id='33291' first='Jordan' last='Geis'] had a pair of assists. Geis got a goal of her own in the game with San Clemente, equalizing from the spot. Mitty had many good chances in the match and was unlucky not to get the winner.   In the Saturday match, the Monarchs got goals from Geis, Picard and Kiki Vostermans. Walsh provided two assists and Nya Lemery provided the other.   Freshman defender Angie Cao stood out all weekend as well, delivering three excellent performances, according to coach J.T. Hanley.   Casa Grande   The Gauchos played two games against very top competition, playing San Ramon Valley in what was just their second match of the season. A tough task indeed. They stood tall and despite starting a freshman and two sophomore, lost just 3-2.   Casa then drew 1-1 with a very good Clovis team to go 0-1-1 at the TVC, showing very well.   "From a coach's perspective, it was great to play teams we don't typically play," Casa Grandea head coach Vinnie Cortezzo said. "I've been at Casa Grande for over 15 years and we had never played San Ramon Valley, Clovis or Lincoln so it was refreshing to face some new teams and also some very strong competition. I was very pleased with how we competed and I felt we showed a lot of promise of what we can be."   Abby Harvey, a junior keeper, was a standout for the Gauchos in the game against SRV, saving two break aways that could have easily been first-half goals to keep them in the game. Junior midfielder Lauren Reposa was excellent all weekend. She was on the ball, connecting passes and finding the final pass to lead to goal scoring opportunities. She scored a late goal against SRV to make it 2-2 in a game that Casa almost got a draw out of.   Clovis   Clovis faced Casa Grande in the 1-1 draw mentioned above, playing that match on Friday, then had two matches on Saturday. The Cougars got draws out of both of those games against very good Maria Carrillo and Northgate teams to leave the TVC without a loss.   "I believe our team played well on the weekend. We played some tough competition and we controlled most elements in all three games, but we just couldn't seem to find the goals that would put the games away," Clovis head coach Ian Lynch said. "We came away with three ties on the weekend which, given the tough competition, is a an accomplishment although we wish we would have come out with all three wins."   Evie Juarez, a sophomore midfielder, really stood out for Clovis. She assisted on three of the four goals scored by the team on the weekend. She is a driving force in the midfield and followed up her attacking display with relentless defending. Her effort set the tone for the Cougars.   Kendall Carr, a senior midfielder, seems to be everywhere defensively. She doesn't just do her own job, but will go help double team and pick up for others. She is excellent about keeping the ball moving when in possession and keeps the team in rhythm so that the attacking players can exploit opportunities before they close down.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/12/Kamaria-Miette-crop-4800x3152-1671593905.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-73712" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Lincoln High School </figcaption></figure>   Lincoln-Stockton   The Trojans had an excellent showing at the TVC. They played three games, two of them in one day, and came away with two wins over two very good teams.   Lincoln beat Casa Grande on Friday, 3-1. Its first game on Saturday was against an excellent Mitty team, which is one of the best in Northern California, and the Trojans fell 3-1, but then bounced back very nicely with a 4-3 win over a Campolindo team that was undefeated heading into the TVC.   "I'm incredibly proud of the way my team played in this year's Tri-Valley Classic," Lincoln head coach Matt Kusanovich said. "To beat two quality programs in Casa Grande and Campolindo, and to battle Archbishop Mitty to the very end showed a lot of character and toughness. We love coming to (the TVC) because every game is like a Section final or NorCal game."   The Trojans had excellent showings over the weekend from their two senior forwards in Kamaria Hughes and Miette Sessoms. Hughes ended up with five goals for the weekend (yes, five!) as she scored five of the team's eight goals. Sessoms had two of the other three and also had an assist. This dynamic duo combined for nearly 90 percent of Lincoln's scoring, and put constant pressure on the opposing team's defenses and they displayed a lot of quality when it came to finishing.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/12/Kalli-Cho.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-73713" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Anna Christensen</figcaption></figure>   Maria Carrillo   Maria Carrillo got in three games at the TVC and even though the Pumas left winless, they should feel very proud at the way they played against the competition they faced. They lost just once, finishing with two draws.   The loss was to Campolindo, a team that was undefeated to that point, falling 1-0. Then came the gauntlet on Saturday, facing a San Clemente team that is one of the ten best in the state and then a perennial Central California power in Clovis. The Pumas were able to earn draws in both of those games, showing they can hang with anybody.   "We always look forward to playing in the TVC," Maria Carillo head coach Michael Cox said. "The talented schools we go up against push our returning players and for the new players it's a great eye-opener to the speed and level of play they will see in league."   Against San Clemente, the Pumas showed they were in great shape and were able to pressure every ball, which led to them going up 1-0 on a PK just before halftime. The penalty was earned because of the pressure they were putting on San Clemente. Maria Carrillo was in control for the first hour, and held the lead after 80 minutes, but a stoppage time goal on a corner ended leading to a 1-1 scoreline.   "It wasn't the way I wanted to end this huge battle, but I was massively happy with my group and we learned a ton," Cox said.   Maddie Graham was a real stand out for Maria Carrillo. She is a senior midfielder who is very hard to stop. She withstands pressure when the ball is at her feet and can allude defenders with great foot skills and field awareness. She takes her conditioning seriously and played almost every single minute in all three games.   Monte Vista   The Mustangs played three times over the weekend at the TVC, as they played in one of the three games that served as the soft-opening on Thursday.   They started with a draw, 1-1, against an excellent St. Ignatius team as two of the top teams in the Bay Area had a showdown and displayed that they are both to be taken seriously.   Monte Vista then ran into defending state champ Temecula Valley on Friday, losing a very close, tough 1-0 match, then bounced back with a 7-1 win on Saturday over a Northgate team that had been showing very well.   "I thought we played well and faced some tough teams that challenged us," Monte Vista coach Chris Lum said. "We've only been together and practicing for 14 days and these kids are on the right track. It's a wonderful group of players who work hard and do things the right way."   Senior midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='20117' first='Rylan' last='Park'] really stood out on the weekend, scoring two goals, while sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='20223' first='Sophia' last='Carbone'] scored in two of the three games. Junior midfielder Bella Pierotti was outstanding as well.   One down note is that standout junior defender, Sienna Zunino, suffered an ankle injury against St. Ignatius and could be out for a pretty lengthy spell.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/12/Becca-Button.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-73714" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: St. Ignatius Prep</figcaption></figure>   St. Ignatius   The Wildcats played well at the TVC, facing nothing short of very stiff competition. They started with a Monte Vista team on Thursday that had an unbeaten regular season last year, finishing in a 1-1 draw, then faced an excellent San Clemente team, falling in a close one 2-1.   "The team played well," St. Ignatius head coach Daire O'Connor said. "We defended and attacked well as a team, and executed our game plan to great effect."   Standing out was junior keeper [player_tooltip player_id='54296' first='Dina' last='Frenkel'], who is quickly establishing herself as one of the premiere keepers in California, coming up with some big saves and being a leader in the posts.   Prodigious forward, junior Josie Tunney scored a beautiful goal on a shot from distance with an assist from Sam Burnett, a junior striker. Allie Wall, a junior, was outstanding in her role as an attacking midfielder, while senior captains Gracie Couden (defensive midfielder) and Becca Button (attacking midfielder) led the team effort superbly.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/12/Abby-Morris-crop-1844x1211-1671594158.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-73716" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: San Ramon Valley High</figcaption></figure>   San Ramon Valley   The Wolves remained unblemished on the year, and have yet to even have to settle for a draw, winning eight times in eight matches, including three wins at their very own TVC.   They beat Casa Grande 3-2 in a match that went down to the wire, then topped Northgate 3-1 and Campolindo 3-0.   Senior Abby Morris and junior Brensly Holmes scored three goals each, while standout freshman [player_tooltip player_id='20183' first='Shay' last='Zuehlsdorf'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='19759' first='Lauren' last='Kealy'] had two goals apiece.   Keeper Kaitlyn Bray led the defense with great stops and leadership, while senior center backs [player_tooltip player_id='19443' first='Gianna' last='Rodrigues'] and Anna Colley were instrumental in the back.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/12/Sloane-Phillips-Temecula-crop-460x303-1671594244.png?w=459" alt="" class="wp-image-73718" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Temecula Valley High</figcaption></figure>   Temecula Valley   The defending Division I Southern California State champion Golden Bears were up north for the TVC, receiving a change of pace and facing great competition while doing it.   They beat Monte Vista 1-0, and then drew with a good Montgomery team 2-2 to go unbeaten on the weekend.   "The competition in Northern California was a fun change for us and we learned a lot about each other as a team," Temecula Valley head coach Jennifer Guinn said. "They were skillful, and aggressive challenging us every minute of these games. They played smart, defended us well, and gave us great games."   Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='20206' first='Sloane' last='Phillips'] was a standout for the Golden Bears, as she started both games and and showed her versatility by playing the 6, 8 and 10. She showed her skills as an amazing ball hander, she read the game very well and she displayed that she never hesitates to take on the opposing team. She created a lot of opportunities for her teammates and will be doing so for the next three years.   Senior Lorena Jimenez showed she was versatile as well, playing all three forward positions, the 7, 11 and the 9 and she was able to showcase her speed. She was a consistent threat on top. Jimenez remains uncommitted, but with eight goals and five assists so far, that won't last long. She is looking for the right fit and that is sure to come soon.   [player_tooltip player_id='19248' first='Cassidy' last='Drago'], a sophomore, is the team's leading goal scorer with 13 goals while also contributing five assists. She puts very high pressure on teams up top and creates a lot of great chances to score, which she did all weekend at the TVC. She scored a goal on a terrific free kick. She will be a constant threat all season long.

The big names were out in full force at Sycamore Valley Park in Danville, California this past weekend, as big time programs from all over the state showed up for the Tri-Valley Classic. With big time programs come big time players, and this event certainly was not lacking for star power. The TVC featured close games, big wins and great individual performances.