Mitty and Bellarmine moved a step closer to defending their respective CCS Open Division titles with 3-0 wins in the quarterfinal round this past Saturday, setting up matchups with familiar foes in the semifinals.
Boys
The CCS boys top division features one semifinal steeped in tradition and another with two newcomes on the scene looking to break through.
All games are on Tuesday, February 25.
#3 Bellarmine @ #2 Watsonville, 7:00 pm
The two teams with the most CCS soccer championships in history meet in one semifinal. Bellarmine is trying to repeat as the champion in the Open Division while Watsonville is looking for its first championship since 2016.
Watsonville is the only public school to claim an Open Division championship since the format was created (Watsonville was co-champion with Archbishop Mitty in 2016), while the rest of the champions have come from the WCAL. It is the second straight year the teams are meeting in the semifinals; Bellarmine prevailed 3-0 at Watsonville a year ago.
Bellarmine, runner up in the WCAL, advanced to the semifinals by dispatching BVAL champion Leland 3-0. Two late first-half goals by Seiji Matsuda and Nick Csuback put Bellarmine in control of the match, with a third goal in the second half by senior Luke Trill sealing the win. The Bells produce one of the best defenses in the section led by juniors Tate Hackett and Myles Thomas, both starters as sophomores on the Bells' section-winning team from a year ago.
Watsonville survived an overtime thriller defeating WCAL another WCAL at-large team, St. Ignatius, 3-2. Watsonville junior Jeal Leal scored twice during regulation and it looked to be enough before St. Ignatius scored with no time left in regulation off a free kick from midfield which temporarily silenced the home crowd. However senior Julian Garcia scored the game winner for Watsonville.
The two powers also met this season with Bellarmine defeating Watsonville 1-0 behind a Hackett goal. That was in December and in San Jose. The Bells will have to travel to Watsonville this time.
#8 Menlo-Atherton @ #4 Sacred Heart Prep, 3 pm
Menlo-Atherton pulled off the result of the tournament so far, defeating WCAL champion Sacred Heart Cathedral in penalty kicks. Sacred Heart Cathedral looked to avoid the upset when they scored with no time left in overtime on a penalty kick to make it 5-5, only to fall in the shootout.
Sacred Heart Prep kept its dream season alive by handily defeating SCVAL champion Mountain View 4-1 in the quarterfinals. First-half goals by Tristan Mischke-Reeds and Liam Johnson were enough for the Gators. Sacred Heart Prep is one of just two remaining undefeated teams in CCS - Summit Prep is the other - and is trying to be the first from a "B" league to reach an Open Division final.
Despite the schools close proximity to each other, the two teams didn't meet this year.
Girls
#4 Leigh @ #1 Archbishop Mitty, 3:00 pm
WCAL champion Archbishop Mitty defeated Piedmont Hills 3-0 to advance to the semifinals as they look to repeat as the Open Division champions. Junior standout Emma Vane left midway through the first half with an injury, however she returned in the second to seal the game for the Monarchs. The Monarchs are one of the most balanced teams in Northern California, led by Vane (8 goals) and senior Svea Nuenfinger (8). Junior Alexa Arancio is one of the top defenders in CCS.
BVAL champion Leigh advanced after defeating PAL champion Carlmont 3-1 at home on Saturday night. Leigh hasn't lost a game since the first week of January in a non-league contest before going 6-0-4 in league. Leigh has played two WCAL schools this year, falling to fellow Open Division semifinalist St. Francis and defeating Presentation. Leigh is led by senior Camryn Borg and junior Alice Barbieri.
#3 Los Gatos @ #2 St. Francis, 7:00 pm
Los Gatos handily defeated Live Oak 7-2 behind a hat trick from junior Emily Nedom. The Acorns were without national team striker Karlie Lema, who was called for the USA under-16 team in England.
Senior Kelli Keady and junior Niki Krockenberg each scored two goals each to make a return to the CCS semifinals. The Wildcats lost only once all year, to league rival Mountain View, and had a great claim to the second seed in the Open Division behind Mitty. Nedom leads the Wildcats in scoring with 22 goals with Keady scoring 17 and Krockenberg 10 to form a powerful troika of attackers.
The Lancers, runners up in the WCAL, defeated Woodside 2-1 Saturday afternoon in overtime. Senior Sophie Bryd scored both goals for the Lancers as they look to win their first CCS Open Division championship. The two teams met in mid-December in a neutral site tournament game and tied 3-3. It took three second-half goals for the Lancers to earn the tie. Nedom scored twice for Los Gatos in that game.
