UPDATE: Dos Pueblos girls soccer faced a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to La Mirada High in the opening round of the CIF-SS Div. 3 playoffs on Thursday night at Scott O’Leary Stadium in Goleta. This defeat marks the end of their promising season with an overall record of 13-5-5, a significant improvement from last year’s seven-win campaign.
The Chargers, under first-year head coach George Hedricks, showcased a strong senior presence with 10 seniors on the roster. Hedricks expressed gratitude for the trust built with his players, stating, “I felt lucky to get into this group and have a good group of girls who were willing to take on a new coach.”
The match began as a defensive showdown, with both teams locked in a 0-0 tie at halftime. Dos Pueblos controlled the game early, earning multiple corner kicks, but struggled to convert opportunities into shots on target. Hedricks noted, “I think we had a lot of opportunities and some pretty dang good shots on goal and just couldn’t get it on frame.”
Goalkeeper Darlene Aguilar was a standout for Dos Pueblos, making crucial saves to keep her team in contention. “I can’t say enough good things about Darlene and what she did all year,” Hedricks praised. “She made some big saves for us all year, and I’m super excited that she’s a junior, and I get her back.”
As the second half commenced, Dos Pueblos came out aggressively, with players Paige Ferro and Hazel Burgess both attempting shots on goal, only to be thwarted by La Mirada’s goalkeeper. The turning point occurred in the 53rd minute when a handball by the Chargers in their penalty area led to a penalty kick. La Mirada’s Zoey Santiago converted the chance, placing the ball into the bottom right corner to give her team a 1-0 lead.
Hedricks reflected on the game-changing moment, stating, “It’s just a little mental mistake… it’s really unfortunate that this game came down to that.” Despite their efforts to equalize, Dos Pueblos could not find the back of the net, and La Mirada’s defense held strong.
La Mirada now advances to face Valencia in the second round of the playoffs on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Chargers will reflect on a season filled with growth and resilience, with hopes of building on their experience for next year.
Stay tuned for updates on the CIF-SS playoffs and the future of Dos Pueblos girls soccer.
