Panther girls push West squad to victory

LINDSAY — Put it in the record books: From hereon out, the West will be known as victors of the original Tulare-Kings Counties Girls All-Star Soccer Game, which debuted Saturday at Lindsay High.

And a large part of the victory can be attributed to Porterville.

The Panthers’ Heather Hicks and Megan Harrison each scored a goal and the West All-Stars held off a furious East rally for the final 14 minutes in a 3-2 West win.

For the most part, the East All-Stars, which featured six Orange Belters from Lindsay and Strathmore, out-shot, out-pressured and out-ran their West counterparts. But the West girls certainly had one thing going for them.

“I think it was all heart,” said West coach Gabe Rodriguez, who led Granite Hills last season. “We wanted it more.”

Hicks, who played forward for Porterville all season and is bound for Fresno City College in the fall, scored her goal in typical fashion — from the left side and early in the game.

The recent grad shook off Tulare Union’s Ashley Tallon of the East and lobbed a 20-yard kick over Strathmore goalie Veronica Magana’s head to surprise a loaded East squad, 1-0.

“I didn’t expect to be open and I just went for it,” Hicks said. “I think I usually score (early) and then the rest of the game I’m just out there.”

It wasn’t Hicks’ fault for disappearing, however, since the players were given limited minutes to accommodate each all-star. Hicks didn’t even get to play much alongside her Panther teammates — Harrison, Gabby Zendejas and Maricruz Meza — who each stepped up in their 15 minutes of fame.

Zendejas hooked up with Harrison in the 76th minute to get the assist and then promptly injured her knee in the next minute.

“My kneecap popped out, but I’ll be OK,” said Zendejas, who admitted a little luck was in play with Harrison’s goal. “I had the free kick and it bounced off the goalie and Megan was standing right there to put it in.”

The West defenders, made up almost entirely of Grizzlies, held their own against the speedy East athletes.

“Our Granite defenders — Andrea (Rodriguez), Stacey (Campos) and Marissa (Martinez) — played great,” coach Rodriguez said. “Porterville’s Maricruz had some wheels back there.”

East’s Taylor Jordan (Tulare Union) tied the game at shortly after Hicks’ goal when the forward darted free of the pack and drove a shot under West goalkeeper Sarah King.

Tulare Western’s King allowed one more goal — a nearly unstoppable close-range shot from East’s Dulce Escamilla (Farmersville) — but racked up numerous saves against a relentless attack, particularly by snatching corner kicks out of the air with her 6-foot frame.

“Sarah was awesome,” Rodriguez said. “(Granite goalie) Zoe (Kisling) learned a lot from her this week and that’s gonna help us when she comes back next season.”

Magana saw action as netminder the entire game and fellow Spartan teammate Cecilia Ramirez, who led Strathmore in assists this season, set up the East for plenty of good looks. But few could capitalize.

“I thought we controlled the rhythm for most of the game,” said East coach Freddie Martinez, who helmed the Cardinals last winter. “We had three shots right in front of the box with no goalie and we missed them. It was mental mistakes and not getting to the ball.”

Martinez also pointed out that East All-Star Heidi Witschi, of CVC, had practiced with the team all week but doctor’s orders prevented her from playing on a previously injured knee.

“She looked 100 percent in practice,” said Martinez, who felt Witschi was clearly the best player in camp. “She could’ve easily made a difference for us.”

But Martinez wasn’t complaining.

“It was a good game,” he said. “Nobody likes to lose, of course, but the girls made some friends and enjoyed it.”

Rodriguez applauded the inaugural game and said it will only continue to get better.

“The fans showed up and you couldn’t ask for a better game; it was tight the whole way,” Rodriguez said. “You saw two Porterville girls put in some big-time goals and the Exeter girls played great. The local girls shined on both ends.”