Worth the wait: The late goals that gave boys soccer titles to Clovis, Sanger and Fowler
Zander Lopez headed in a goal in the 69th minute to break up a scoreless duel, helping top-seeded Clovis High to a 2-1 victory over No. 3 Central in the CIF Central Section Division I boys soccer championship match Friday at Lamonica Stadium.
A free kick set it up for the Cougars, who won their first section title since the 2016-17 season.
Jesus Ponce took a free kick from the right side from about 25 yards away and Lopez leaped before heading the ball into the net.
Clovis goalkeeper Manraj Bassi made a key save to keep it at 1-0 as the match was winding down.
Lopez’s second goal to make it 2-0 and another by Central’s Marcus Flores about a minute later accounted for the final score.
The Grizzlies had won the section title the past two seasons.
No. 1 Clovis 2, Central 1
Second half: 1, Clovis, Zander Lopez (Jesus Ponce), 69th. 2, Clovis, Lopez, 79th. 3, Central, Marcus Flores, 80th.
Division II
Julio Hernandez’s golden goal on a penalty kick secured top-seeded Sanger’s 3-2 win over No. 2 Tulare Union, giving the school back-to-back titles.
The penalty kick came after the referee called a handball on the Tribe.
Isaiah Villalobos scored the earlier goals for Sanger.
No. 1 Sanger 3, No. 2 Tulare Union 2
Second half: 1, Tulare Union, Jesus Enriquez, 2, Sanger, Isaiah Villalobos. 2, Sanger, Isaiah Villallbois. 4, Tulare, Alan Vindiola.
Golden Goal: 5, Sanger, Julio Hernandez.
Division III
No. 3 Highland 3, No. 1 Mission Oak 0
Second half: 1, H, Kevin Tello, 60th. 2, H, George Legretta (Tello), 65th. 3, H, Thomas Fuenters, 73rd.
Division IV
Second-seeded Lindsay was attempting to win its first section championship since the 2016-17 season, but fell short in losing to No. 1 Garces.
Lindsay led 1-0 after Daniel Perez scored in the 2nd minute after a goal was nullified in the opening seconds.
No. 1 Garces 4, No. 2 Lindsay 1
First half: 1, L, Daniel Perez. 2, G, Alex Halevey. 3, G, Fletcher Bank.
Second half: 4, G, Abraham Gonzalez. 5, G, Bank.
Division V
Carlos Hidalgo provided the big lift for No. 2 Fowler, scoring a golden goal in the Redcats’ 3-2 win over top-seeded Mendota.
It was Fowler’s first championship appearance since the 2015-16 season, when the Redcats fell to McFarland 1-0.
But a long drought is over, with Fowler winning the section title for the first time since 2002.
Fowler 3, Mendota 2
Fowler: Silvestre Quintero (Gabino Barranco). Ashton Escamilla, pk. Carlos Hidalgo (Ashton Escamilla).
Mendota: Amilcar Pineda. Fernando Caballero
Division VI
There were a couple of firsts for Sierra Pacific en route to a title.
The third-seeded Golden Bears, reaching the playoffs for just the second time in school history, picked up their first postseason win ever with a 3-1 win over No. 6 Firebaugh.
A 4-3 win over second-seeded Granite Hills then sent Sierra Pacific to the championship match against No. 1 Fresno Christian.
No problem for the Golden Bears, who picked up goals from Max Ekk and David Dutra in a 2-0 win for the program’s first section title.
No. 3 Sierra Pacific 2, No. 1 Fresno Christian 0
First half: 1, SP, Max Ekk (Andrew Dutra).
Second half: 2, SP, David Dutra.
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Girls: Clovis North tops Buchanan in Division I championship
It is back-to-back titles for the top-seeded Clovis North girls soccer team.
The Broncos defeated No. 3 Buchanan 2-1 in the Division I championship on Saturday.
Clovis North jumped out an early 1-0 lead after Alyssa Wheeler’s goal in the 15th minute.
Izzy Arballo added a goal in the second half for the Broncos.
Bailey Bracha had the lone goal for the Bears.
Division II
Ashlyn Isenberg scored the winning goal in the second overtime to give No. 1 Hanford a 3-2 win over No. 2 Sanger.
It is the Bullpups’ first section title in school history.
Hailey Langley tied the match 1-1 on a long-range free kick.
In the first overtime, Isabella Schroder scored on a breakaway to give Hanford a 2-1 lead before Sanger tied the match.
Bullpups goalkeeper Melody Martinez finished with 13 saves.
No. 1 Hanford 3, No. 2 Sanger 2
First half: 1, Sanger, Karina Gonzalez.
Second half: 2, Hanford, Hailey Langley.
First overtime: 3, Hanford, Isabella Schroder. 4, Sanger, Gonzalez.
Second overtime: 5, Hanford, Ashlyn Isenberg.
Division III
Caitlyn Vela scored in the first overtime to give No. 1 Kingsburg a 1-0 victory over No. 7 Templeton.
The Vikings have won five straight section titles and back-to-back titles in D-III.
No. 1 Kingsburg 1, No. 7 Templeton 0
First overtime: 1, Kingsburg, Caitlyn Vela, 84th minute.
Division IV
No. 1 Exeter 2, No. 3 Central Valley Christian 1 (OT)
First half: 1, CVC, America Lopez, 18th minute
Second half: 2, Exeter, Maddi Woods, 70th.
Overtime: 3, Exeter, Woods, 86th.
Division V
No. 3 Santa Maria 3, No. 1 Kerman 2
Kerman: Isabella O’Neal, Isabella Cruz
Division VI
No. 1 Arvin 4, No. 2 Fresno Christian 0
This story was originally published May 28, 2021 at 9:49 PM.
