2011 Volleyball and Soccer Final Standings

Varsity Boys Soccer
1st - Cooperative
2nd - International
3rd - Christian Learning
4th - Cambridge


Varsity Girls Soccer
1st - Cooperative
2nd - International
3rd - Christian Learning
4th - Cambridge


JV Boys Soccer
1st - International
2nd - Cooperative
3rd - Cambridge
4th - Christian Learning


JV Girls Soccer
1st - Cooperative
2nd - International
3rd - Christian Learning
4th - Cambridge


Varsity Boys Volleyball
1st - Cooperative
2nd - International
3rd - Christian Learning
4th - Cambridge


Varsity Girls Volleyball
1st - International
2nd - Cooperative
3rd - Cambridge
4th - Christian Learning


JV Boys Volleyball
1st - International
2nd - Cooperative
3rd - Cambridge
4th - Christian Learning


JV Girls Volleyball
1st - International
2nd - Cooperative
3rd - Christian Learning
4th - Cambridge

Soccer Finals - Pictures

JV Soccer Championships - By Jonatan Muñoz

Varsity Soccer Championships - By Jonatan Muñoz

Girls Varsity Soccer Championship

Jaguars tamed for a while, but go wild, win 4-0

By Ximena Fagan

            The Cooperative girls varsity soccer team ended the season with a hard-fought 4-0 victory over the International Griffins on their home field.

            The victory kept alive an undefeated streak that goes back to 2007, and an unbroken chain of championships going back to the start of the League in 2005. A big crowd of spectators with lots of spirit from both schools was on hand for the game.

      The first half was scoreless, which represented something of as moral victory for the Griffins since the Jaguars had not been held scoreless for an entire half all season. Moreover, both teams came close to scoring. The Griffins were stopped only by some very aggressive play by Jaguar goalkeeper Karla Aguilera, who on several occasions came way outside the penalty box to meet Griffin players who had broken away, and to take the ball away from them.

            This is not to say the Jaguars didn’t have their chances. At one point Tania Landivar had the ball about three meters from the goal with only Griffin goalie Beatriz Nallar between her and a goal. Landivar tried to chip it up over Nallar, but the ball hit the crossbar and caromed out of bounds behind the goal. And Rivero got loose for a clear shot on goal, but missed right, and finally Fernanda Vaca Diez fired another upward shot from close range that hit the cross bar and went out of bounds.

     This was one of the toughest games either team had played because of the energy and effort both were putting into this effort towing the championship. Both the Jaguars and the Griffins had started to get very keyed up when the first half ended.

            The second half was when the game reached its most intense level.  The Griffins made a terrific attempt to score but the Cooperative goalie, Aguilera, managed to get a hold of the ball.

       The first goal was scored by the Jaguar Vaca Diez. SCCS was putting on all the pressure it could, moving its entire defense across the midfield line. Vaca Diez dribbled the ball in from her position on the left wing and drilled the ball into the far side of the goal.

      After that the Jaguar goals seemed to come non-stop, the second goal was scored by Tania Landivar, who was set up by a great crossing pass by Vaca Diez.

      Nallar stopped the next several shots, but then Giovanna Varalta, charging through like a halfback in American football receiving a handoff, stormed through to make it 3-0.

      Varalta got another chance on a breakaway in the final seconds of the game, and made the score 4-0 for the Jaguars.

 After game ended the Champions threw the big yellow bucket of ice water on top of the Coach, Rolando Cabrera. 


Eagle Girls Triumph 4-1 In Consolation Game
By Larissa M. Dagnoni

     Christian Learning girls varsity soccer team defeated Cambridge Thursday afternoon 4-1 in the consolation game of the League playoffs, winning the medals for third place in the League. The game was played at Cooperative.

The game started with the Eagles attacking and working the ball well, their only aim clearly to get the ball into the Knights goal, and after ten minutes Eagle Abby Phillips scored the first goal of the game, with a great right-footed  kick from inside the penalty box. A big cheer went up from the largely pro-Eagle crowd, celebrating the goal that put the Eagle team in the lead 1-0. .

The sun was extremely hot, but the Knights players did not seem bothered and kept running and battling to score an equalizing goal, and tie the game up, but the Cambridge attack wasn’t strong enough to pass by the Eagle defense. When Knight player Vanesa Flores finally got a shot on goal, she missed.

Eagle players Mariela Salinas and Phillips had a great way of working and passing the ball with each other, their speed and control of the ball was all it took for Salinas to score the second goal for the team.

By then the Cambridge team was looking downcast, and the Eagle team was confident about winning. The first half ended with both teams worn out, and every player running to get a drink of water.

When the second half started the Knights came back with more attitude, but soon it became clear that the heat was slowing down both teams, and there was not a whole lot of action for a while..

But then Nadia Rocco, after playing the entire game mostly just chasing after the ball, took control of the ball and brought it in close to the Eagle goal. Rocco, who has been sidelined by a back injury, passed the ball neatly to teammate Yañez who scored the first goal for the Cambridge team.

But the Cambridge euphoria was short-lived. The goal seemed to energize both teams, and quite quickly Abby Phillips scored her second goal giving Christian Learning back its two-goal lead 3-1.

By now the game was almost over, and the Eagle team was looking happy for the 3 goals they had on the score board. Then suddenly Phillips seemed to swoop in out of nowhere and score the Eagles fourth goal.

During the Award Ceremony the MVP awards were won by Cambridge player Manuela Yañez and Alejandra Abastoflor, and by Eagle players Mariela Salinas and Abby Phillips.

This game was played extremely well by both teams, and provided a good ending point for the season. Congratulations to both, and good luck next year!

Varsity Boys Soccer Championship

Jaguars squeeze past Griffins to win championship

By Lucia Landivar

The Cooperative Jaguar boys soccer team won the Interscholastic League tournament over the International Griffins for the second year in a row Thursday before a good-sized crowd of spectators from both schools on the Jaguar field..

The game almost couldn't have been more thrilling, and was decided by a penalty shot in the final seconds of the game.

 Players from both teams seemed very nervous and anxious for the game to start. Both teams had been long time rivals throughout Interscholastic League history, often fighting for the championship title.  Spectators were excited as well,for the game to start and screaming Jaguar and Griffin chants. When both teams gathered  in circles right before the game, and shouted their school’s name, the battle was on. 

            The first half of the game started out aggressive play by both sides. Both teams had their mindsets focused in the game; people could tell the teams were in it to win it. The soccer ball was constantly in the air, from one side of the field to the other. During the first minutes of the game, Jaguar Juan Carlos Laguna managed to strike the ball goalwards by kicking the ball backwards while in the air, a move called “chinelita” that Laguna had worked hard to master. While artistic, the effort ended with the ball securely in the hands of the Griffin goalkeeper Santiago Maldonado.

       After a few minutes, Griffin Gary Suarez crossed straight through Jaguar defense and shot the ball into Jaguar goal. The Jaguars were devastated and disappointed, while Griffin players and spectators screamed and hugged each other with delight. The Griffins led 1-0. It was the first time this season the Jaguars had been behind.

JuanSe Velasco from the Griffins side kicked a ball with great force straight into the goal, but Jaguar defender Hyun Kim stepped in front of it and the ball bounced straight off his chest. International was seemed to be constantly on the offense, attacking every chance they got, while Cooperative seemed to be scared of attacking, and stayed in a defensive posture for most of the first half.

            Laguna managed to score a goal for Cooperative after the ball bounced off Velasco’s head, and confused International’s goalie. Laguna took that opportunity to strike the ball into International’s goal. The score was 1-1 tied, and tension filled the air. Esteban Suarez from Jaguar defense and Gary Suarez from Griffin offense tangled several times, building the tension further.

             They constantly clashed and fought for the ball like two bulls.  Nicolas “Coco” Cronembold of the Jaguars was just recovering from an ankle injury, and got hit in the same ankle by a Griffin player.  Cooperative’s coach Nicolaas Mostert rushed to aid Cronembold. Luckily, after a few minutes of hopping  on one leg, Coco was able to shake the pain off and continue playing.

      The first half ended with passes back and forth from one end of the field to the other.

     The second half started out with an aggressive approach by Cooperative, and an apparent goal by  Laguna after the ball bounced off the International goalie got the Jaguar crowd pumped up, but the goal was annulled by an offside call. The  Jaguars thought for sure they were taking the lead a fewminutes laters when Milan Marinkovic danced his way through the Griffin defense, and fired a shot at the goal, but it bounced off the post.

            The tables had clearly turned. The Griffins seemed to lose faith in themselves, and it was they who were no constantly on the defense. The Jaguars were feeling much more comfortable, and were now attacking most of the time.

     But the Griffins still had their chances.  Griffins Gary Suarez and Francisco Gonzalez double-teamed  Jaguar defender Manuel Saavedra, and took the ball from him deep in the Jaguar end. However, their shot – it was hard to tell who took it -- missed.

      Cooperative’s Josue Abuawad then brought the ball from the Jaguar side to the Griffins goal, where he clashed into Cooperative’s goalie Santiago Maldonado. Abuawad rolled on top of him, missing his chance to score.

      It looked like the championship game was headed for a penalty shootout, but the tie was finally broken on a penalty shot by Laguna seconds before the whistle blew to end the match.

      Jaguar players and spectators ran into the field screaming and hugging each other, concluding the game with Jaguar victory chants and handshakes between both teams.


Eagles Defy Knights for 3rd Place
By Jesse Mann, SCCLC

            The Eagles came out on top Thursday with one goal against the Knights in a fierce combat for the coveted third place boys varsity soccer medal. The match initially resembled nothing more than a precision passing contest, with most of the action in the first half taking place midfield in a back and forth battle for possession. The Knights managed only a couple attempts on the SCCLC net, none successful, matched by a few weak shots by the Eagles which were easily scooped up by Juan Carlos Paniagua, the Knights’ goalie. Both teams stepped up their game play in the second half, resulting in a heated, heart-pounding match. Cambridge forward Herless Diaz repeatedly charged recklessly up field, skillfully guiding the ball through the Eagle defense and advancing dangerously close to a net guarded zealously by Eagle goalie Wesley Ordoñez. Each of his spirited attacks were either tipped away by a aggressive Eagle defender or stopped by Ordoñez in a sprawling save. The Eagles finally ended the stalemate when forward Andre Larson beat Paniagua to a flying ball launched from midfield and crossed it right in front of the goal line to Eagle José Aldana who tipped the ball into the corner of the Knight's net. But the game was far from over. A couple minutes after the Eagles scored, Tadeo Carmona nearly tied the score with a long shot from midfield that slipped over Ordoñez's outstretched fingers only to bounce off the crossbar. Herless was again denied a fantastic goal a couple minutes later when a well placed shot was barley batted away by Ordoñez's extended foot. Paniagua also had his share of impressive saves near the end of the second half, keeping Cambridge's hopes alive. Ultimately the Knights just ran out of time, finishing the game down by one goal. The Eagles enthusiastically embraced a third place finish as well as the fair play award for good sportsmanship from the league. 

Varsity Soccer Championships - Scoreboard

Girls Consolation Game:
Christian Learning 4, Cambridge 1


Boys Consolation Game:
Christian Learning 1, Cambridge 0


Girls Championship:
Cooperative 4, International 0


Boys Championship:
Cooperative 2, International 1

Varsity Boys Volleyball Finals

Jaguars Upset Undefeated Griffins for 1st Place
By Sung Eun Song, SCIS

The Cooperative school boys varsity volleyball team withstood a tremendous challenge from International team to take the championship two sets to one on Tuesday at the SCIS gym. The Griffins started strong, taking the first set 25-18. Then the Jaguars stormed back to take the second set 25-23. The third set, played in front of a large, enthusiastic, bottle-bonking crowd was very close but the Jaguars finally won it 15-13. For the Griffins, this match was very disappointing as they lost both their perfect season and the championship; it marked the first time the International boys had lost a set all season. For the Jaguars, it was a dramatic and even historical victory.

In the first set, the Griffins took the early lead of 9-2. Then they started a scoring parade following the lead of Juan Sebastian Narvaez and Francisco Gonzales. Sebastian, a senior, had spikes which were virtually unblockable. He helped to break down the Jaguars’ resistance, giving International several points. He capitalized on every opportunity he had, making several impressive plays. Francisco Gonzales was also highly skilled at spotting vulnerable spots on the opponents’ side, and spiking to them with speed and power. Their wonderful team play lifted the Griffins’ team spirit and motivation. Several bad serves and missed passes by Jaguars helped widen the Griffins’ advantage to 19-8. The Jaguars started a slow process of climbing back, but the Griffins already had complete dominance of the court. Finally, with a strong spike from Juan Sebastian Narvaez, the Griffins won the opening set 25-18.

At the beginning of the second set, the Cooperative boys showed newfound initiative, leading the game by 6-1. The standouts for Jaguars were Josue Abuawad and Jorge Melgar. Josue was an outstanding spiker. He jumped right in front of the net and spiked the ball emphatically to the vulnerable spots, which reminded one of boxer Muhammad Ali's phrase "to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee." Jorge was a good setter, who dealt with balls flexibly. He blocked several hard attacks from the Griffins, scoring points for the Jaguars. With a solid defense from Santiago Maldonado, Eric Takayama and Juan Sebastian Velasco, the Griffins caught up with the Jaguars in the middle of the second set, tying the score at 18-18. From this point, the pressure was on for both teams. And this time, it was Jaguar boys who got a strong hold on the mental game, and the skills that they possessed began to work for them. Jaguar Andres Shin was another outstanding player who made many amazing digs and artful sets, greatly aiding Jaguars to actively attack. The match was intense and breathtaking as an astounding number of attempted kills were blocked, sometimes double-blocked. Finally, the second set went to the Jaguars 25-23.

Things got truly spectacular in the third set, with most points decided on long rallies during which there were at least two or three amazing plays. The Jaguars got ahead early 4-1, but the Griffins then slowly sliced into that lead until they finally tied the game at 7-7. They traded points in long rallies in which the ball went back and forth about 15 times with both sides making powerful spikes, delicate placements and intrepid receptions. When the score tied at 8-8, the Cooperative started to edge ahead, first with two big spikes by Milan Marinkovic that moved the count to 10-8. A bad serve and a ball hit long by International helped widen the Jaguar advantage to 14-10. The enthusiastic Griffins fan shouted “Si, se puede”, encouraging the Griffins. The International team almost evened the score at 14-13, but finally the Jaguars won the match 15-13 when Josue Abuawad uncorked one final magnificent spike to wrap it up. Cooperative played its most impressive game of the season in the championship, defeating International, a team that had never lost a match this season, and in doing so, the Jaguars earned the 1^st place volleyball trophy.

Eagles Overwhelm Knights for 3rd Place

By Trevor Reed, SCCLC

The Christian Learning Center Eagles finished off their volleyball season with a convincing win over the Cambridge Knights on Thursday, in a game played at the International gym.

It was the Knights who shot out to a 3-0 lead first, led by the aggressive serves of Gabriel Alonso. However, the Eagles were soon able to get back in the game, tying the score at 4-4. The match was very close as neither team was able to gain an advantage. Halfway through the set, the Knights began to pull away with a 12-9 lead over the Eagles. They were once again led by Gabriel Alonso's serves. Then, Cesar Flores began to close the gap with quick, accurate spikes for the Eagles. The Knights still kept a small lead, and the scores began to rise. Soon, the score was 19-17, but the Eagles suddenly closed the gap and pulled ahead 20-19. They continued their aggressive attack, with Eagle Micah Kerney making several strong spikes into Knight territory. Finally, Eagle Jesse Mann was able to pull the Eagles to a 25-22 set victory after two strong spikes and a quick, painless serve.

In the second set, the Eagles continued their momentum, pulling off to a 5-2 lead. The Knights were plagued with miscommunication, and the Eagles widened their lead. Strong spikes from Jesse Mann and Cesar Flore helped the Eagles to "blast off," and when the smoke finally cleared the Eagles were ahead 20-6. Knight Gabriel Alonso continued to be a dangerous threat, but he could not succeed without the help of his teammates. The Knights attempted a comeback, scoring 8 more points before the Eagles finally finished them off with a score of 25-14. 

Varsity Girls Volleyball Finals

Griffins Fend Off Jaguars to Win 1st Place
By Sung Eun Song, SCIS

The undefeated International girls varsity volleyball team preserved its perfect season, winning the league championship played Tuesday at their home gym. The Griffin girls turned in a finely crafted, flawless performance as it defeated Cooperative girls in straight sets 25-9, 25-23. They polished their effective technique and well-organized teamwork without the stress of worrying about losing.

In the first set, Pamela Suarez from International led the Griffins early dominance, making a quick forward dash to the service line. She hit the ball hard to make it either spin and fly with astonishing speed. She scored four points solely from her service aces, giving the Griffins’ an early lead of 6-1. Maria Victoria Gutierrez also contributed to the Griffins’ lead, expertly tipping the ball to vulnerable spots of Cooperative. For the Jaguars, Carla Limpias and Ana Paola Peredo stood out for their brilliant performances. Carla showed several full-forced smashes with the precision of a surgeon, aggressively threatening the Griffin girls. Ana Paola also played well with her artful sets and tactical attacks. However, this was not enough to catch up with the Griffins. The Griffins gradually widened the score gap till 16-6, finally making the Jaguar girls call for timeout. After the timeout, both teams played even more aggressively. This time, the star player was Beatriz Nallar from International, who was able to flexibly control her attack-style. It seemed like she knows when to fire strong spikes, and when to just lightly hit the ball over the net. With her great help, the Griffin girls widened the gap to 15 points at 24-9. Finally, with an exquisite spike from Maria Victoria Gutierrez, the Griffins won the first set at 25-9.

In the second set, it was Cooperative's turn to jump out to the early lead. Rallied by the accurate attacks and steady defense, the Jaguars took dominance with a 7-0 lead. It seemed as though the Jaguar girls had learned how to deal with the Griffins attacks completely. Jaguar Ana Paola Peredo played excellent defense, blocking several shots at the net. She also powered shots from beyond normal outside hitter range and Luciana Adriazola and Maria Paula Aguirre were able to collect any other loose balls. However, at the point where the score reached 9-2, the Griffins started a slow process of climbing back. They began to show an athletic and disciplined manner, scoring from multiple positions and defending fiercely from sideline to sideline. Throw in Ciara Harriagure and sophomore Diana Paola and stir in seniors Beatriz Nallar and Maria Victoria Gutierrez and the pot was boiling over with a recipe for success. Furthermore, somehow being distracted by the counterattack from the Griffins, the Jaguar girls made several mistakes; they served poorly and let balls fall between players because of miscommunication. International fought back steadily and eventually knotted the score at 15-15, at which point the large group of Griffin fans simply stood up and screamed. Encouraged by this enthusiastic crowd, the Griffin girls came out with some daring plays, sometimes setting the ball from one side of the court to the other. The rest of the game was a continuation of relentless battle between two strong teams. The score tied three more times at 21-21, 22-22 and 23-23. Finally, a service ace from Maria Victoria and a strong spike from Fernanda Gutierrez gave Griffins a match victory and the first place trophy.

Knights Edge Past Eagles for 3rd Place

By Larissa M. Dagnoni, CC

Cambridge girls varsity volleyball team defeated Christian Learning on Tuesday in the playoff consolation game at International, winning in two sets, and taking the third place medals that came with the victory.

The tension between the two teams could not be missed when they started their warm-ups at 2 p.m. The game started with a big cheer coming from the Eagles crowd. Cambridge was missing a similar multitude, but that didn’t stop those who were there from loud screams to pump up the Knights.

The first set was totally owned by the Knights. They started by scoring 4 straights points, and throughout the game they kept attacking. They got great serves by Valeria la Torre, and unbeatable defense from Mariel Palacios, It seemed apparent early that the first set was going to be won by the Lady Knights, and that was what  happened 25-15.

This set showed all the talent that the Cambridge team had -- good communication, great team work, and good vibration coming from the players.

When the second set started the Knights players were confident, but they were taken by surprise when the Eagles went ahead and took the lead by six points, 16-10. It seemed that the Eagles were not letting the third place get away that easily.

 This set was an intense one, with both teams were working harder than ever, with the Knights trying to finish off the match, and the Eagle team trying to win the set to have a second chance at victory in a tie-breaking third set.

It seemed impossible for the Cambridge team to get back into the game, but as impossible as it sounded, and with all the pressure being brought to bear on them, the Knights girls were able to settle down and play as they had in the first set.

The Knights worked their way back, point by point, until they tied the game up at 22-22. Thanks to smart plays of Knight Palacios and great defense from Eagle Rebekah Kienzle the game became a rollercoaster of emotion. It was impossible to predict which team was going to win, as the teams traded points.

When the scoreboard showed 24-24, the entire gym seemed to be cheering for the Eagle team, but it was the Lady Knights that scored the next two points, to win the set, 26-24, and take the match.

Knight players Vanesa Flores, and La Torre took home Cambridge’s MVP awards, and for the Eagles the most valuable player was Natalia Eguez.

It was a good finish to the season for both teams, with both showing great hard work as well as obvious improvement.

Varsity Volleyball Final Scores

Girls Consolation Game (for third place)

Cambridge d. Christian Learning 2-0 (25-15, 26-24)

Boys Consolation Game

Christian Learning d. Cambridge 2-0 (25-22, 25-14)

Girls Championship

International d. Cooperative 2-0 (25-9, 25-23)

Boys Championship

Cooperative d. International 2-1 (18-25, 25-23, 15-13)

JV Boys Soccer Championship

JV Griffins Defeat Jaguars for 1st Place
By Andrea Gutierrez

The Santa Cruz Interscholastic Sports League´s final for JV boys soccer took place Thursday afternoon between Santa Cruz Cooperative School and Santa Cruz International School and proved to be extremely entertaining, as the trophy went to the Griffins who won 2-0 as guests in a close. Hard-fought gamne on the Jaguar´s field.

 Both teams were very nervous at the start. The Jaguars had lost against the Griffins  in their previous match and feared losing  again, while the Griffins wanted to prove that their v ictory inn  that previous encounter wasn´t a strike of luck. 

It is possible to say that the first half of the game was dominated by the Griffins who had control of the ball most of the time and several opportunities o score. A couple of minutes after the whistle was blown, Simon Morón managed to find a way through the Jaguar’s defense and un leashed a dangerous shot toward the goal, but Jaguar goalie, Luis Esteban Peredo intervened, preventing a goal.

On the other hand, the Jaguars couldn´t attack effectively because of the strong middle field their rivals had. Griffin Mateo Suarez permit Cooperative to take the ball up his side of the field:  He was agile and quick, and was able to take the ball away for his team. Shortly, before the second half, Morón aimed for a goal for the second time but this time he succeeded, placing the Griffins on top 1-0.

This didn´t end the first half though, as the Griffins and Jaguars continued battling evenly.  

The second half was even more exciting and nerve-racking than the first one. Both Cooperative and International teams tried to score several times so the SCIS goalie, Octavio Limpias, had more action than before, even though with 20 minutes remaining he changed spots with International´s back-up goalie in an apparent effort to put more spark in  the Griffin offense

. Meanwhile Griffins Morón and Daniel Hanley seemed to be full of confidence that day because they had several close encounters with the Jaguars’ arc, and even though they missed, they made a second goal for the Griffins look like a distinct possibility. More of a possibility, say, than a Jaguar goal.

But when the Griffin goal finally occurred it was on a high, bounding free kick by Lucas Zerlaya that seemed to confuse goalie Peredo, who placed himself between bounces allowing the ball to over his head and into the goal.

Cooperative didn’t give up.  Jose Carlos Paz was quick on the field and a definite threat to the International defense and goalie, but the goals never came true and the game ended with Santa Cruz International School ahead 2-0, and ready to accept their awards as the JV boy soccer Interscholastic League champions.

The Griffins cheered happily jumping up and down in a circle with their arms wrapped around each other. They had brought a big crowd that had supported them throughout the game that was composed of family members, classmates, and teachers; t while the Jaguar fans were far fewer in number (but filled with tons of spirit)

. Afterwards, the Most Valuable Players were announced which included Gabriel Rosas and Enzo Cambruzzi for the Cooperative team, and Mateo Suarez and Daniel Hanley from the International team. Both sides got their medals, and the 2011 champions smiled proudly as pictures were taken of them with the trophy in hand.
      The team list for the champion Griffins was Octavio Limpias, Suarez, Cristian Magarzu, Lucas Zelaya, Jorge Ortiz, Danny Hanley, Liam Hanley, Jose Ciaroni, Jaimer Barrenechea. Simon Moron, Juan Velazco, German Ferraris, Carlos Nuñez, Leonardo Melgar, Armando Saavedra, Diego Vargas, Juan Pablo Nuñez, and Francisco Montaño.
     For the Jaguars: Peredo, Matias Saquairo, Gabrierl Rosas, Enzo Cambruzzi, Claudio Bedoya, Gabriel Romero, Felipe Gasparalli, Richard Salvatierra, Jose Carlos Paz, Tomas Yeatts. 


Cambridge Triumphs 1-0 in Consolation Game
By David Boldt

  The Cambridge junior varsity boys soccer team defeated Christian Learning 1-0 in the consolation game of the playoffs to gain bragging rights to third place.

     The game, played in searing heat, started with Christian Learning seeming to have the better opportunities to score. The Little Eagles got off too close range shots that missed. Cambridge put a couple of shots on goal, but they presented no real challenge for Eagle goalkeeper Jose Luis Escudero.

     Cambridge’s passes up the middle of the field misconnected several times, giving the ball to the Eagles in good field position. The Knights problems were compounded by the fact that their usually sure-handed goalie, Sebastian Carrasco, seemed to have a case of the “fumbles” and let the ball get loose around the goal several times.

     But Cambridge emerged from these vicissitudes unscathed and Knight captain Mauricio Soto personally took the ball down field and fired an excellent crossing pass, but no one was there to get it. Soto then took a shot himself but missed to the left.

    Not long after Cambridge had a big opportunity with Eagle goalie Escudero lying on the ground after diving to make a save, and the ball bouncing around loose, but the Knights weren’t able to capitalize on it.

    Finally Knight Daniel Kirigin broke away from a pack and put a shot in the net that would prove to be the only goal of the game. He would get another opportunity of a similar sort a few moments later, but missed narrowly as the half came to a close. .

     In the second half the heat seemed to really get to the players, and neither team was able to make a play that would get the crowd cheering. Cambridge seemed to go into defensive mode to protect its lead, keeping Soto back on defense.

     A rare moment of excitement occurred when little sixth grader Hernan Virreira of the Eagles beat Soto in a duel in  the corner of the field and headed off toward the goal,  but was detained from behind. But the action occurred well outside the penalty box and the resulting free kick missed.

     During the postgame award ceremony “most valuable player” certificates were given to Soto and Pablo Underraga of the Knights and to Andres Cruz and Luke Phillips of the Eagles.

     The Cambridge line-up included Percy Vidal, Santiago Melgar, Percy Justiniano, Carrasco, Soto, Marco Ovando, Kirigin, Leonardo Arges, and Santiago Hurtado.

     For Christian Learning: Hwa Pyung Lim. Phillips, Abashai Nutt, Bryan Lara, Escudero, Jose Daniel Gentili, Virreira, Cruz, Santriago Cespedes, Zac Frith, Nicolas Villafan, Leonardo Netzlaff, Jonathan Wry, Luke Hwangbo, Escudero, Samuel Ortiz, and Mauricio Cortez.               

JV Girls Soccer Championship

Cooperative Girls Take Junior Varsity Crown
By David Boldt

     The Cooperative girls junior varsity soccer team defeated International 2-1 in the championship game played Thursday on the Jaguars’ field, thanks to two second half goals by Michelle Lederman.

      The two teams fought to a scoreless draw in the first half, with neither side being able to threaten seriously. About the only excitement was a free kick by International that Cooperative goalie Sophia Gonzalez had to kick save. Then a little while later, Cooperative passed the ball back and forth in front of an open International net, but no one appeared to convert the opportunity into a goal.

     In the second half International threatened first, getting off a shot that Gonzalez was again only able to thwart with a kick save, and the ball was loose momentarily in front of an open net. However, just as in the case with the Cooperative near miss in the first half, no Griffin was able to get there in time to put the ball in the goal.

     Moments later Lederman got loose for a shot of the International goal, and this one went in, ending the scoring drought, and putting Cooperative ahead 1-0.

      International got a breakaway on the Cooperative goal following that, but Gonzalez, who had an outstanding day, was again up to making the stop.

      After an interlude of routine action up and down the field, Lederman and teammate Giulianna Varalta broke loose with the ball at midfield and closed in on International goalie Maria Isabel Alexander, who wasn’t having that bad a day herself.

      But his time she was caught in an insoluble dilemma. If she went after Lederman Lederman could easily flick the ball to Varalta on her left, who would have an open goal to shoot at. Alexander stayed put. Lederman kept the ball and smacked into the side of the goal.

      The Griffins nearly got back in the game with a breakaway of their own, but with the Griffin attacker seemingly about to run the ball all the way into the goal Gonzalez rose to the occasion again, knocking the ball to the side with a slide tackle.

      She hurt her leg in the process and had to be helped off the field. Andrea Chavez was put in the goal to replace her, and was immediately tested by the Griffins, but she proved up to the task.

       The Cooperative shutout remained intact until the final seconds of the game when Mariana Roca was awarded a free kick from midfield. The kick seemed to pose so slight a threat that Cooperative didn’t even bother to assemble a wall. Roca’s powerful kick, however, reached the goal, bouncing off the left post. Fernanda Gutierrez controlled the rebound and knocked it into the net, making the final score 2-1 for the Jaguars.

    In postgame ceremonies, “most valuable player” certificates were awarded to Ledmann amd Maureen Harrison of the Jaguars, and to Ciara Harriague and Roca of the Griffins.

      The line-upo for the victorious Griffins consisted of Gonzalez, Isabella Peña, Harrison, Maria Fwrnanda Soria, Romina Richter, Fabiana Peñaranda, Alexandra Cadario, Chavez, Paula Sakuma, Francesca Colanzi, Camila Messmer, Monica Montenegro, Lederman, Naira Rodriguez, Varalta, and Ana Reyes.

     The line-up for the Griffins was Alexander, Pamela Suarez, Anahi Ibañez, Mariela Saavedra, Edwarda Casconetto, Harriague, Carolina Aguilera, Roca, Fabiana Zelada, Ainara Moreno, Sofia Sciaroni, Quimey Ciarlantini.          

Eagles Win Shootout After 0-0 Tie With Knights

By Larissa M. Dagnoni, SCCS

     Christian Learning Center played Cambridge College to a 0-0 tie in regulation time on a really hot Thursday afternoon at Cooperative, and then won the penalty shootout 3-1 to get third place medals.

     The sun was shining very brightly in the sky when the clock struck  2 and the game started. The Eagles started strongly, and during the first ten 10 minutes of  the game all the cheers were going to Eagles Emily Ordoñez and Shekinah Miranda as they fired shot after shot.

     Luckily for the Knights they had on their team goalie Renata Pinto who was able to handle the shots that didn’t go wide. Defender Mako Ueno was also able to make it a little tricky for the Eagle players to get too close to the goal.  Lady Knight Amaya Yañez also helped keep things from getting out of control. 

     Even though both teams were playing with a great enthusiasm, the heat and the really strong sun were clearly making it hard for the junior varsity girls to keep going. The Eagle girls came closest to scoring, but the play became so even that it was hard to tell who would take home the third place medals. The first half ended with no goals on the scoreboard.

     After drinking water and having a talk with coaches, the second half started strong, with both teams seeming to recover their energy and now running non-stop. The intensity of the competition was visible, and players were going “all out’’ during the game. Both teams had chances of scoring, but the game ended still with no goals in the score board.

     The game then went to penalties. The Eagles started off and Isabela Diaz scored the first point for them, followed by Cambridge goalie Pinto who also scored. The next two shooters both missed, but when Eagle Emily Ordoñez stepped up to kick the ball and scored, the Eagle team looked confident about winning this game.

     Sure enough, Cambridge missed its next two kicks, and when Rebeca Escudero scored the third point for the Eagles guaranteeing them the win, the only noise that you heard was the big scream of the Eagle team celebrating the victory.

     In the award ceremony, Eagle players Ordoñez and Luana Velarde took home not only the third place medals, but also the Most Value Player diplomas. Cambridge players Pinto and Yañez got the MVP diplomas for Cambridge.

     The line-up for the champion Eagles was comprised of  Ordonez, Velarde, Diaz, Eva Brown,  Ada Ribeiro, Rebeca Escudero, Tamara Vargas, Veronica Apodaca, Shekinah Miranda, Iza Jardim, Elisa Kabernick, Clara Flores, and Teresa Janzen,

     The line-up for Cambridge was Amaya Yañez, Nicole Fermin,  Ueno, Isadora Santos, Kamila Riveros, Valentina Leiva, Silvana Alegria, Fabiana Carrasco, Virginia Zozzoli, Claire Montaño,  Dianny Hollweg, Carolina Ovando, Barbara Black, Ariana Vidal, and Pinto,

JV Soccer Final Results - October 27

JV Boys Soccer

Championship: International 2, Cooperative 0

3rd place: Cambridge 1, Christian Learning 0

JV Girls Volleyball

Championship: Cooperative 2, International 1

3rd place: Christian Learning 0, Cambridge 0 (Christian Learning won shooutout 3-1)

JV Boys Volleyball Championships

Griffins Soundly Defeat Jaguars for Championship Title
By Jesse Mann

        The International JV boys decisively defeated the Jaguars today with a brilliant display of teamwork that ultimately earned them a first-place trophy. The Jaguars were quickly overwhelmed in two sets, victims of an impressive Griffin onslaught that included blistering spikes and a steady, aggressive serving accuracy. The first set saw the Griffins immediately rack up a firm 13-7 lead, resulting from several hard spikes by José Luis Sciaroni and Christian Jorge. Jaguar Raul Valle responded with four harsh serves hurled over the net at the Griffins that brought the Jaguars back into the game, down by just 2 points at 13-11.  Sensing a threat, the Griffins pulled it together and effectively buried the Jaguars in a stunning scoring streak that ended the first set 25-13.  

        The second set got off to a slow start as both teams methodically traded points until Griffin Juan Carlos Narvaez stepped up to the back line to serve for the Griffins. The result was a incredible ten point serving explosion that put the Griffins ahead 14-4. This ten point gap spelled doom for the Jaguars, who managed to put only ten more points on the board before the Griffins finished them off 25-14. To celebrate their wins in both boys and girls JV volleyball, the Griffins proceeded to empty the contents of the team's contents onto their talented coach.

Knights Squeeze Past Eagles for 3rd Place

By Larissa M. Dagnoni

The Cambridge boys junior varsity defeated Christian Learning Tuesday afternoon at International, winning the first set 25-23 and the second 25-15. Cambridge thus gets bragging rights to third place, The Eagles, despite having played their best game of the year, were consigned to fourth.

The game started with the Eagles crowd cheering very loudly, but Cambridge didn’t let the cacophony in the stands distract them, and they scored the five first points in the game. Eagle players were not playing badly; it just seemed that they couldn’t handle the attacks from the Knights.

 Both teams were backing up teammates, and everyone was playing with a great attitude. Cambridge kept scoring through the first set, and they had the lead most of the time, but suddenly the Eagles put on a closing surge, and the score of the game was 23-22.

 The Eagle team had stepped their game up, and with the attacks of Claudio Sandoval, they surely scared and made the Cambridge defense more worried. Cambridge just needed two points to close the first set, but the Eagles were not giving it away easily.

 It seemed that the Eagle team was going to win, because suddenly the Knights defense started to miss, and attacks from the other side started to come on strong. But the Knights didn’t give up easily either and the first set finally ended 25-23 for Cambridge.

The second set started with even more tension than the first one. On one side was the Christian Learning team that wanted a chance to tie the match up and go to a third set, and on the other side was the Cambridge team that wanted to win the set, take the match, and go home.

 Cambridge started the game by scoring the first point, but right after the Eagle team got a point. It seemed that the Christian Learning team didn’t let the first set score get to them, because they were attacking the ball without restraint, and getting each and every point they could.

Great defense from Eagle Jadon Kabernick helped the Eagle cause, and even after the Knights were winning 16-11 it was really noticeable that the Eagles were working doubly hard during this set.

Teamwork from Knights Santiago Hurtado and Daniel Kirigin helped the score take off in the Knights favor 24-15. The last point was very hard to get for the Knights but finally after a long rally Alvaro Ueno set up Carlos Rea to score the winning point, and the set ended 25-15.

It was a great game for both teams, and a well deserved win for the Knights. 

JV Girls Volleyball Championships

Griffins Overwhelm Jaguars to Earn 1st Place
By Sung Eun Song

The Santa Cruz International School JV girls volleyball team earned an overwhelming victory over the Cooperative team in the championship game held at the International gym on Tuesday; the Griffins chalked up a straight sets victory 25-14, 25-17. The International team preserved its perfect season, maintaining their unbeaten record. They showed all the capacity and passion that anyone would expect of a champion.

In the beginning of the opening set, the two teams had battled evenly, fighting each other point-by-point. From the very beginning of the match, Griffins Ciara Harriague and Pamela Suarez attempted several strong attacks to get the drop on the Jaguars. But the Jaguars also stayed alert with Flavia Gutierrez scoring consecutive two service aces. The game proceeded like this with teams taking turns in the lead. But after the score had reached 6-6, the Griffins exploded with an 11-point scoring streak, widening the gap to 17-6.

There was no doubt that both the Griffins and Jaguars showed superb and powerful play throughout the game. They both had strong attackers who repeatedly fired unblockable spikes and amazing serves with intense power. Therefore, in this championship game, what put one team above the other was not the power but the delicacy. And the Griffin girls’ attention to detail put them ahead..

In the middle of the first set, there was one breathtaking moment performed by the Griffins when one of the Jaguars smashed a strong spike towards the backward of the Griffins side. The ball nearly hit the ground, but Fernanda Gutierrez narrowly kept it alive, lunging to the floor in her effort to reach it. Then Camila Barrientos, who was right next to Fernanda, urgently hit the ball at maximum power toward Ciara Harriague, who was near the net but on the floor. Dramatically, Harriague, still in her fallen position, hit the ball hard up towards the net. To her surprise, the ball slipped over to the Cooperative side of the net. The audience applauded the amazing teamwork of the Griffin girls, and the energized Griffins were able to maintain their lead for the rest of the game. Finally, after a ball handling error by a Jaguar, the Griffin girls took advantage of the moment and went on to win the set 25-17.

For the Griffins, the game spotlighted the new appearance of Camila Barrientos, a small girl who revealed her hidden playing capacity. Despite her small frame, Camila greatly contributed to the Griffins victory, displaying both persistency and concentration. She made several important digs as well as multiple accurate attacks.

In the second set, the Griffin girls changed the tide once again with a shift to a more aggressive play style. With momentum on their side, the Griffins bolted out an early 11-0 lead; the service aces from Ciara Harriague accounted for six of these eleven points. The Jaguars then began to claw their way back. Fabiana Andrade attempted several spikes, connecting some of them to scores for Jaguars. She also made a point from a service ace. Another Jaguar standout was Andrea Chavez, who consistently blocked the Griffins’ strong spikes. Maintaining steady position, Andrea made many saves, providing Jaguars with opportunities to attack. However, they could not overcome the stellar defensive efforts made by Griffins. Finally, the Griffins ended the second set 25-17 to clinch the match and take the championship trophy.

Eagles Defeat Knights for 3rd Place Finish
By Larissa M. Dagnoni

Christian Learning girls junior varsity volleyball team defeated Cambridge Tuesday afternoon at International, winning both sets by a score of 25-15, and thereby achieving third place in the League.

This was a decisive game, because both teams were playing to win a medal.  The Eagle girls started the game with a big cheering scream, pumping up the crowd present at the gym, which was made up mainly of Christian Learning parents and friends. The Knight girls in the other hand seemed like they were a bit abashed and withdrawn, and were not showing much of an attitude at the beginning of the game.

The first point of the set was scored by Cambridge player Carla Rea, but the Eagles didn't let the enthusiasm of scoring the first point carry the Knights too far. They responded right away, and quickly got a couple of points ahead. The Eagles were playing with their ‘‘head in the game'' and seemed that the word losing was not in their vocabulary.

 When Eagle player LuanaVelarde stepped to serve the ball, point after point was scored for the Eagles. She was a big girl and was hitting strong and accurate shots. Her service was a key element the Eagles needed to win first set by a ten-point advantage, 25-15.

 The second set continued the same pattern.  The Eagles scored the first 3 points straight up, but it seemed that the lady Knights, after Coach Eduardo “Presi” de la Riva talked to them during a timeout started to communicate better and move around the court. They played better compared to the first set.

The new Cambridge attitude changed the complexion of the game, which was tied up for a while. But the pattern of the match was set. It could almost be predicted that this game already had a winning team, and it wouldn’t be Cambridge. . Great teamwork from Eagles Velarde, and Emily Ordoñez helped the Eagles get the points they needed to win. The final score was again 25-15.

 Christian Learning JV volleyball girls won the well-deserved third place on the league. Congratulations to coach Misty Lopez and her team.

After the game ended medals were giving to the winning team and diplomas recognizing Cambridge players Paola Oliva and Denisse Navallo as “valuable players” were given.

JV Volleyball Final Results

JV Boys Volleyball

Championship: International d. Cooperative, 2-0

3rd place: Cambridge d. Christian Learning, 2-0 (25-23, 25-15)

JV Girls Volleyball

Championship: International d. Cooperative, 2-0

3rd place: Christian Learning d. Cambridge, 2-0 (25-15, 25-15)


Stories to come...

JV Finals Schedule

JV Volleyball Finals at SCIS

Tuesday, October 25^th, 2011

2:00 CLC vs CC Girls

3:00 CLC vs CC Boys

4:00 SCCS vs SCIS Girls

5:00 SCCS vs SCIS Boys

JV Soccer Finals at SCCS

Thursday, October 27^th, 2011

2:00 CLC vs CC Girls

3:00 CLC vs CC Girls Boys

4:00 SCCS vs SCIS Girls

5:00 SCCS vs SCIS Boys

JV Soccer Semifinals - Scoreboard for October 24

JV Boys Soccer

International 4, Christian Learning 1

Cooperative 1, Cambridge 0

JV Girls Soccer

International 2, Christian Learning 2 (International won shootout 4-3)

Cooperative 2, Cambridge 0

JV Soccer Semifinals

Jaguar, Griffin JVs prevail again


By Larissa Dagnoni, Santiago Melgar and David Boldt

    The International and Cooperative junior varsity soccer teams mimicked the success of their schools’ varsities as they pushed on through their semifinal round Monday and will meet in the championship games Thursday.

     But it wasn’t all that easy.


Griffin girls squeak through via shootout

     The International girls team had perhaps the toughest time. They trailed Christian Learning for most of their semifinal, tying the game at 2-2 only in the closing minutes.

     And then they were behind 3-2 in the shootout, but blocked the Eagles last two shots, while making good on their two remaining opportunities, to win the shootout 4-3.

      Eagle Emily Ordoñez´s goal had given the Eagles a 1-0 halftime lead. The game was tied at 1-1 when Mariana Roca made good on a penalty shot, but an artful shot by Eva Brown put the Eagles back on top 2-1 with time running down.

      But the Griffins counterattacked ferociously and kept the ball in the Eagles end for most of the closing phase of the game, launching shot after shot at the increasingly embattled Eagle goalkeeper, Luana Velarde.

     She repelled them all until Fabiana Zelada somehow got loose for a clear shot on goal from the right side, and put an almost perfect shot into the upper corner of the near side of the goal to tie the score and force a penalty shootout to decide who would make it to the finals.

      The first three Eagles put the ball into the net, as did the first two Griffins. But the third Griffin attempt was blocked by Velarde, seemingly putting her team in the driver’s seat, 3-2.

     But now it was the turn on the Griffin goalie, Maria Isabel Alexander, to come up big. The last two Eagle shooters gave her shots she could handle – and she handled them. Meanwhile, the last two Griffins made good on their shots.

     The Griffins who made their shots were Roca, Sofia Sciaroni, Pamela Suarez, and Ciara Harriague. The successful shooters for the Eagles were Isabela Diaz, Ada Ribeira and Ordoñez.


Jaguar girls win on two late goals 

     The Jaguar girls, for their part, did not exactly have an easy time of it against Cambridge. Not a single goal appeared on the scoreboard during the first half of the game, the start of which was delayed while primary school teams from Cooperative and International finished their games. 

Cambridge defender tries to clear the ball past teammate and
lurking Jaguar -- Julia Boldt

       Through most of the first half the the Jaguars kept attacking, but bthe Knight defense wasn't letting them penetrate close enough to score.  The Jaguars did get off two shots on goal,  but Cambridge goalie Renata Pinto was catching every ball that came her way.  
       Cambridge got a chance to score when Amaya Yañez passed the ball to Isadora Santos in the middle of the field, but Santos missed. 
       The second half started as a continuation of the first half. Jaguars Michelle Lederman and Alexandra Cadario kept kicking balls at the Cambridge goal, but all were going wide. For Cambridge, Yañez and Santos took the ball into the Cooperative end several times, but weren't able to score either. 
       Finally the Jaguars got the first goal, as they had in the previous game between the two teams. The goal was scored by Andrea Chavez, and as in the last game it seemed to cause the Cambridge players to lose the will to win.
     Alexandra Cadario then scored an insurance goal for the Jaguars, making the final score 2-0. 

Jaguar boys prevail against Knights 1-0    

      The Jaguar boys had it even tougher than the girls team, prevailing by a single goal, 1-0. Cambridge was the first to threaten, completing a sequence of passes that ended with Mauricio Soto getting the ball a little too far in front of Horacio Morales, allowing Jaguar goalkeeper Luis Peredo to scoop up the ball. (Peredo's fine play throughout the game in shutting out the Knights wins him the "Miracle Hands" award.)
      Cambridge continued the same pattern of attack, trying to get the ball to Morales in scoring position and either just missing connections, or being thwarted by Peredo. Both teams made a series of great defensive plays. 

Cambridge captain Maricio Soto tries again to get
loose and even the score -- Julia Boldt

      Cooperative got its first big chance to score in the 22nd minute of the first half on  a neatly executed play in which Peredo's kick went to Ian Peña, who carried it upfield and gifted it to Gabriel Romero, who got off a shot that Cambridge goalie Sebastian Carrasco punches off to the side.
     But the danger didn't pass. Jaguar Fernando Viacava now emerged from the shadows with the ball (the lights are now on) and shot to kill. Goalie Carrasco had no chance on this one, and an effort to head it off by defender Daniel Kirigin proved useless as the ball went into the right hand corner of the goal. The schoolyard echoed with the applause and screams for Viacava.
       The game was far from over, and the closing minutes of the first half were consumed by Cambridge's continuing efforts to find a way to get the ball past Peredo.The Knights got a free kick with little time remaining.
       The Jaguars stopped the scoring effort following Soto's kick by knocking the ball over the end line, which resulted in a Cambridge corner kick by Gabriel Rosas that Leonardo Arges controled in front of the right side of the Jaguar goal. Seeing his path blocked by Peredo (among others) Arges tried to kick the ball across to where Kirigin was charging in on the left. Kirigin arrived on schedule but his kick missed wide as the half ended. 
       The second half started with Jaguar Romero faking his way past Percy Justiniano, but Pablo Undurraga arrived before Romero could do any real damage. 
        Peña looked like he would get a scoring opportunity for the Jaguars moments later, but Santiago Melgar stepped on his legs. Peña fell down and couldn't do anything from there. The resulting free kick ended up giving Viacava another opportunity, but Cassasco repelled it. Romero got a chance to knock in the rebound but Carrasco gathered this one in and held it. 
        A similar sequence of events then played out at the other end of the field. Morales seemed about to breakaway when Rosas took him down, resulting in a free kick for Cambridge, which missed.
        Just five minutes remained now and the ball went up and down the field until the final minute when Cambridge captain Soto was taken out by Rosas while enroute to the goal, giving Soto another free kick opportunity, this time from much closer in. His line drive missed by about one inch.
        And that was the game, ladies and gentlemen -- 1-0 for Cooperative which now advances to the championship game against International. Cambridge will play Christian Learning for third place in the consolation game.              
  
Griffin second half surge provides win  

      Not that the Griffin boys had exactly a walk in the sun in their 4-1 victory over Christian Learning. The winless Junior Eagles played their best game of the year, and had things knotted up 1-1 with the undefeated Griffins at halftime.

      There was, moreover, a certain element of good fortune in the lone Griffin goal. Jose Luis Sciaroni’s high-speed shot from the right of the goal hit the near post and ricocheted into the chest of Eagle goalie Jose Luis Escudero, who couldn’t quite get control of it. It spun on the ground and just barely crossed the goal line.

     Hernan Virreira shot in the equalizer for the Eagles a few minutes later. Virreira was playing his first game of the season because of earlier eligibility problems.   

     All that having been said, it must also be noted that in the first half the Griffins missed a penalty kick on a hand ball well inside the penalty box, as well as a point blank shot by an attacker who received a centering pass all alone in front of the goal and fired a shot that was just a little too high.

       The Griffins did then proceed to break the game open with three goals in the second half, with Danny Hanley playing a role in all three.

      For the first he fired a long centering pass that Simon Marone headed into the goal.

     Hanley then scored twice himself, once by swiveling his way through the Griffin defense, and once on a penalty kick.