By Mike Blake
The Kern Valley girls soccer team improved to 11-5-1 overall and 10-3 in the tough High Desert League, with a sweep of three victories in three games, which included a 7-0 romp over Mojave on Senior Night.
The Lady Broncs started the week on January 29, with a 4-1 win over Rosamond (9-15, 8-7). Three of the goals (stats are incomplete) came from freshman Scarlett Weber, junior Aspen Hacker and senior Tami Mondgragon. Kern Valley girls soccer coach said the team played with energy and urgency and controlled play throughout.
Two days later, the Lady Broncs hosted Mojave (3-15-1, 1-11-1) Wednesday, January 31 for Senior Night and handled the outgunned Mustangs easily in a 7-0 blowout.
Kern Valley girls soccer coach Paul Armes said it was a comparatively non-stressful game. “Mojave only had nine players so it wasn’t a heated battle,” Coach Armes said. “I think they crossed midfield only five times and had one shot. We were just playing keep away and trying to get shots. They have four big defenders and a great goalie that just sat in front of the goal and kicked everything. Honestly, it was hard to score. Kayley Sietsma started the game with a beast header for a goal and after that was just tons of missed shots. My five seniors got to play the whole game in various spots on the field. We tried to make it a fun Senior game and two of them got goals.” Seniors Sietsma and Alains Check scored, with Check putting two in the net. Other goals scorers were junior Aspen Hacker with two goals and one goal each by freshman Kyla Hacker and junior Alex Armes. Alex Armes also contributed with two assists.
From there it was on to what Coach Armes said was a tough game the following day in poor weather, at Cal City. Tough it was, as Kerrn Valley found themselves in a 2-0 hole in the first half. Coming out of the break, still down two, the Hacker took over and scored a natural hat trick, netting three consecutive second-half goals to down the Ravens, 3-2. Hacker’s goals were assisted by Kassandra Guarneros and Alex Armes, who dished out two helpers.
In addition to the hat trick heroics by Hacker, Coach Armes gave a special shout out to Guarneros. “To me, the Player of the Week is Kasandra Guarneros,” Coach Armes said. “Soccer defenders don’t really get the stats to brag about. But she has saved the team so many times in clutch situations. She is a lock down defender, sends our corner kicks and is captain of the defense. She deserves Play of the Week recognition.”
With the three victories, Kern Valley is 11-5-1 overall and is 10-3-1 in High Desert League competition, putting the team in third place behind undefeated Bishop Union at 13-0 in the HDL and Mammoth at 11-2-1. The squad now holds a 48-22 goal scoring advantage this season over opponents.
The Lady Broncs took on undefeated Bishop, Tuesday. Results and details were unavailable at press time. Next on tap at soccer Thursday, February 8 at Frazier Mountain (5-10-1, 4-7-1) at 3 p.m.
