Calabasas' Girls Help Win National Tournament

The Woodland Hills 19-and-under girls soccer team had to scramble to put together a team for the AYSO National Games in Florida.

One girl cut short a safari to Africa to meet the team for the tournament in West Palm Beach. Another girl was playing on a recently healed broken ankle.

Still, the team, which included Samantha Andrews, Alli DelGizzi, Allie Gaines and Lauren Jacob from Calabasas High, didn't give up a goal in eight games and won the tournament.

The Woodland Hills team played Chino Hills to a 0-0 tie in the title match, and both teams were declared champions of the tournament.

The Woodland Hills team played Downey to a 0-0 tie in the quarterfinals and won 4-3 on penalty kicks. In the semifinals, Woodland Hills tied a team from Hawaii, 0-0, and won 2-1 on penalty kicks.

"We have a great goalkeeper and great shooters," Coach Jose Yniguez said. "That's what got us into the finals."

Cynthia Jacobo, the sophomore goalkeeper on Cal State Northridge's soccer team, earned MVP honors of the AYSO National Games recording seven shutouts.

Most of the teams have a year to prepare for the AYSO National Games - the teams are chosen by lottery to play in the tournament.

The Woodland Hills team was not initially selected to play in the tournament, but Yniguez said he was informed his team was selected to play in March. Gaines and her family were planning a trip to Africa during the AYSO National Games. She flew from Africa to New York to Florida to play.

Andrews graduated from Calabasas High in June and will be playing at UC Santa Barbara. Jacobs was a late addition to the team. She broke her ankle earlier in the year and has been recovering since.

"I was happy to get whatever I could out of her," Yniguez said. "It was a team effort. It was everybody coming together."