The Cate girls pulled away in the second half and sealed the Channel League title Wednesday with a 17-9 win over Thacher to end the regular season.
Ellie Tunnell and Phebe Hancock led the way for the Rams with five goals apiece, with Hancock adding an assst. They were also the leaders in draws, Tunnel winning seven and Hancock five. Gigi Geyer added four goals, two assists and a draw.
Cate finishes the league season at 9-1, a game ahead of Dos Pueblos at 8-2. Cate is 9-3 overall. Thacher finishes the league season at 4-6.
“Overall, today was a team effort,” Cate coach Renee Mack said. “I am incredibly proud of this team. They work hard for each other and are continually supportive. I believe that we have yet to peak. So we look forward to the CIF playoffs starting next week.”
Cate had just a 6-5 edge at halftime, as the team “struggled to take care of the little things,” Mack said.
A more relaxed and confident Rams team came out after the break, with Geyer scoring two goals in the first three minutes of the second half. Then Then Hancock scored two impressive goals on 8-meter shots.
“We were definitely a second half team, winning more draws, picking up the ground balls and executing our attack,” Mack said. “I was impressed with our team’s ability to read the zone/backer defense and find the open cutters.
“Once again, on attack, the seniors, Phebe Hancock, Ellie Tunnell and Gigi Geyer, dominated. On defense, Devon Lack led the slides and double teams. Devon’s play was simply outstanding today.”
Cate goalkeeper Liz Sutter collected seven saves. Sutter was “outstanding both in saves and in running the defense,” Mack said. “She had three smart clears to the midfielders with one converting to an assist.
“And, the play of the day was Carmen Lack’s brilliant pass into the 8M to Geyer who scored with a quick stick.”
Sophia Ospina added two goals for Cate, and Lucy Guilbert-Neal had a goal, two assists and a draw. Lauren Hubbs had a goal and two draws, and Lack had an assist and two draws.
San Marcos 18, Santa Barbara 12
San Marcos senior KC Springer scored eight goals — giving her 101 for her career — leading the Royals to a 18-12 win over Santa Barbara at Peabody Stadium.
With that season-ending win, San Marcos claims sole possession of third place in the Channel League, at 7-3, and 11-6 overall and get an automatic qualifier spot in CIF-SS Division 3 playoffs.
The Dons finish 2-8 in league and 4-13 overall.
San Marcos led 10-9 at halftime at Peabody Stadium, and then pulled away with an 8-3 margin in the second half.
The Royals “used their depth to start a different lineup than normal, but by the second half the offense started clicking,” San Marcos coach Paul Ramsey said.
Springer was often the target of an early double-team to try to contain her, Ramsey said, but came away with eight goals.
Her seventh goal, the 100th, came with 19:04 left in the game, put San Marcos up 12-9. Springer scored the 101st with 5:57 remaining to put her team up 16-10.
Earlier this season, Springer, a combo midfielder and attacker, surpassed the 100th point mark, on goals and assists.
“I’m so happy for KC, and she is the first Royal to 100 points and now the first Royal to 100 goals in a career,” Ramsey said. “Neither had been done before this season, and she is one of our hardest workers and now that work has paid off.”
Sophomores Sadi Adams and Gigi Mills along with Springer made a great combination on the center draw circle, and the Royals used all the possessions to get the win, Ramsey said.
Sophomore attacker Clara Stump scored four goals for the Royals and Sadi Adams added three goals. Gigi Mills had two goals, with one of them coming on a long sprint off ball in transition that put her behind the Santa Barbara defense. She was rewarded with a pass from sophomore midfielder Liv Plourde, who assisted her with one of her four assists.
The Royals are ranked ninth in CIF-SS D3 and are 11-1 against D3 teams. Five of their losses are to D1 and D2 teams.
“I’m hoping the CIF Seeding Committee sees that and rewards us for being 11-1 in D3,” said Ramsey.
A playoff schedule is due to be released Saturday.
Dos Pueblos 15, Nordhoff 1
Dos Pueblos sealed sole possession of second place in the Channel League Wednesday with a decisive 15-1 win at Nordhoff.
Beth Baker led the Chargers with her first hat trick. Susy Lopez, Lauren Elliott, Miranda Hough-Pattison and Abby Fewell all contributed two goals each. Chloe Gotsis, Eloise Shea, Linnea Clapinski, and Alyssa Valdez, in her first varsity appearance, all scored one goal each.
Linnea Clapinski did an amazing job on the draw today by getting seven draw controls, Dos Pueblos coach Anais Jimenez said. “Lauren Elliott got four ground balls tonight.”
Dos Pueblos finished 8-2 in league play, a game ahead of third-place San Marcos. The Chargers finish 10-6 overall.