FURY - OUS FINISH

(Ripon) West Coast Fury U-12 girls advanced to the Nor Cal State Cup Championship game with a dramatic 3-2 semi-final victory over West Valley Magic Sunday. The win sets up a February 14th match with Placer United to determine the number 1 team in Northern California. Fury is now unbeaten in 24 of their last 25 games.

Fury gained a spot in the semi-final with a convincing 7-0 victory over Pajaro Valley Saturday in the quarterfinals. Kaleigh Castillo got the scoring started for West Coast off a pass from Celina Garcia. Moments later, the Livermore based team doubled their lead when Kelena Brongiel scored off an assist from Bella Romero. West Coast led 2-0 at the break, but the offensive onslaught was just ahead. Castillo made it 3-0 off an assist from Alyssa Garza and Trinity Sandridge would make it 4-0 off a Kourtney Kessler pass. Brongiel would net her second goal of the game off a Romero pass and Gracie Alfonzo would close out the scoring off a Kessler pass.

Fury Coach Ray Canevari said, “The Quarterfinal win was amazing! I thought we had a good chance to beat Pajaro, but I never thought we would score 7. Kaleigh Castillo had a nice game netting a pair. She’s been so solid for us in the middle of the park all year and holding-mid Faith Rogers had what I thought was her best two games as a Fury player!” 

Sunday’s Semi-Final matchup would pit West Coast against the last team to beat Fury,  West Valley Magic. Fury opened the scoring midway through the first half when Kourtney Kessler found room to dribble near the top of the box and hit an 18-yard shot that found the upper corner of the net to give West Coast the 1-0 lead. Moments later, Emily Hunt received a pass inside the box and her right footed half-volley found its way past the keeper and Fury would head to halftime with a 2-0 lead.

As the second half started West Valley came out determined and fought their way back to tie the score at 2 with  10 minutes remaining. Just as it looked as though overtime was on the horizon; Kelena Brongiel got behind the Magic defense with 2 minutes remaining and calmly slotted the ball past the on-rushing West Valley goalkeeper and into the net. The Fury sideline erupted when the final whistle blew as West Coast Fury advanced to the State Cup final for the first time ever.

Coach Canevari added, “I cant tell you how thrilled I am for these girls! They love each other like sisters and always have each others back, but they have “IT” and you can coach or teach “IT”...it’s just the way people are wired!!! My hats off to West Valley, they played a great game today!”

The State Cup Championship against Placer United will be held February 14th at Mary Grogan Soccer Complex in Modesto. Kickoff is 1:00pm.