Tracy Press

 
Pumas win Danville tournament

Alexis Vilarino (left) scores against So Cal Blues in Championship game. Courtesy photo

The Tracy Velocity 9-and-under Junior Pumas won the Mustang Stampede tournament in Danville this past week, defeating other top California teams on their way to the title.

The Pumas started with a 2-1 win Friday over San Juan Blue. Jenna Zuniga scored the first goal and Leyla Pepic nailed the game-winning goal.

In the afternoon game, the Pumas played the So Cal Blues, ranked No. 11 in the U.S. Leyla Pepic scored twice, and Cindy Alvarez and Jocelyn Reyes played solid defense. The Blues won 3-2 in the last 20 seconds of the game.

On Saturday, the Pumas took a 4-0 win over San Ramon Samba. Faith Chavez faked out her defenders to score, and Jasmine Loaiza scored off a deflection off the goalie. Alexis Vilarino scored two more.

Vilarino then scored twice for a 2-0 win in the quarterfinal match against the top-ranked Mustang Pride. Yolanda Tavares had one of the assists and controlled the middle of the field and Airyana Verdugo kept the pressure on the Mustang defenders.

In Sunday’s semifinal match against Ajax Athens, Zuniga and Vilarino each scored. Puma defenders allowed four shots on goal, while Brittani Edwards and Alexa Mayen put the pressure on the Ajax goalie.

The Pumas got their rematch against the So Cal Blues in the championship game. Vilarino knocked in the first goal with an assist by Faith Chavez. The Blues countered to tie the game to force overtime. With neither team scoring in overtime, the game came down to penalty kicks.

Jenna Zuniga, Alexa Mayen and Jocylen Reyes kicked in all three for the Pumas while Marcela Salyer protected the Pumas’ goal box.

Next up for the Junior Pumas is the Adidas Champions Cup on Aug. 30 in Sacramento.

Fireballs take second
The Tracy Futbol Club 11-and-under girls team, the Tracy Fireballs, went 3-1 this past weekend and took second place at the Sacramento Suntan Classic, hosted by the Sacramento United Competitive Soccer Club.

In Saturday’s 4-0 win over the Marin Magic, the Fireballs scored on two goals from Tiffani Edwards and goals from Iris Cruz and Shayla Simonich. Cruz, Mariah Jeffery and YaYa Willis were credited with assists. Midfield players Isabel Gonzalez and Caitlyn Rodriguez, defenders Jasmine Basuil and Miriam Garibay and goalie Taylor Boren shut down the Marin offense.

The Fireballs went on to defeat the host Sacramento United Extreme, 1-0, in the second game with a goal by Cruz, assisted by Sam Farmer. Midfielders Rachelle Buske and Denae Enos and defenders Basuil and Cristina Suarez and goalie Boren kept the Extreme scoreless.

In Sunday’s 1-0 win against the Elk Grove Everton team, Edwards, assisted by Ashley Hallen, scored for the Fireballs. Tracy’s Kyra Briston, Suarez and Garibay provided defense and Rodriguez, Willis and Gonzalez played midfield.

The Fireballs settled for second place in the tournament after a 0-3 loss to the tournament champions East Diablo Konfusion.

Local pitcher’s team goes 1-2 in series
The San Jose Blaze PONY baseball team, which includes Tracy pitcher Bret Maddox, was eliminated from the Palomino World Series at San Jose Municipal Stadium after the Blaze went 1-2 in the first three games.

Games included an 8-0 win over the Joliet, Ill., team Friday, a 1-2 loss to the Greensboro, N.C., team Saturday, and a 3-5 loss to the Chinese Taipei team Sunday.

The tournament championship went to the Houston team, which beat Chinese Taipei, 14-3, on Monday.

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