GILROY - PCAL-Gabilan champion Christopher has not tasted defeat since an early January defeat to San Benito, and the Cougars made it 10 straight wins on Saturday with a 3-0 Division I quarterfinal win over Aragon.
Christopher has allowed just three goals in the past 10 matches, two of them coming in a win over Salinas right after the loss to San Benito, and the current win streak includes a win over the Balers in that rematch. On Saturday, the Cougars dominated play against Aragon, and displayed some of the youth that has powered this year's team in the process.
Freshman striker Jenna Urrabazo scored once in each half, playing opposite Northwestern-bound senior Aurea Martin, who had an assist in the win. Urrabazo's first goal gave Christopher a 1-0 lead at the half, and after junior Elise Engquist added a tally early in the second half, Urrabazo sealed the win with her second goal of the day.
"(Jenna) is a center-mid on her club team, so she has had to transition mentally to become more of a finisher for us," said Christopher coach Matt Oetinger. "We have seven freshmen on our team, and start three of them, so we have had to grow together this year at times."
The brace from Urrabazo gives her six goals this season, and showed some much-needed ability to finish from the other side of the field opposite Martin, who has 18 goals for the year. The three goals scored in the win over the Dons was plenty for sophomore keeper Jordan Anaya, who posted her 10th clean sheet this season and was named Keeper of the Year in the Gabilan Division.
Next up for Christopher is a semifinal date with Aptos, who took down Westmont 4-2 in the quarterfinals. Freshman Jazmin Castaneda had a hat trick in the win for the Mariners, who finished behind top seed Soquel in the SCCAL this year. Junior Aubree Westjohn also scored in the win over the Warriors.
Soquel and Menlo will meet in the other Division I semifinal. Menlo dispatched a Live Oak team that was missing sophomore standout Karlie Lema, who received a red card in the Acorns' final regular season. The Knights got a brace from Alexa Thomases in the second half, and a final goal from Siena Gavin as they pulled away with all the scoring over the final 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, Soquel edged Presentation, 3-2, getting a pair of goals from sophomore Sarah Canavan and another from junior Madison Mendoza. Junior Ellie Blach and sophomore Sofia Martin each scored in the loss for the Panthers.
Around the CCS playoffs
Senior Shannon Coyle's first-half goal stood up as the game-winner for Mitty, which defeated Los Gatos 1-0 in the Open Division quarterfinals. The Monarchs advance to face Leland in the semifinals.
Freshman Allie Montoya had a brace, as part of a six-goal flurry for Mountain View, which routed Burlingame in the Open Division quarterfinals, 6-0. The Spartans face St. Ignatius in the semifinals.
Eight-seed Piedmont Hills ousted top seed Watsonville in the Division II quarterfinals, 2-0, getting goals from junior Emilet Ramirez and sophomore Jaden Herrera. The Pirates advance to face Notre Dame-Belmont, who beat Prospect 3-1.
South San Francisco beat Los Altos on penalty kicks, moving the Warriors into the semifinals against Leigh in the other half of the Division II bracket.
Megan Tinsley and Juliana Rosen each had a brace, as Sacred Heart Prep cruised past Alisal, 5-0, in the Division IV quarterfinals. The Gators will face Seaside, which used penalty kicks to oust two-seed Alvarez.
