Go to the OCVarsity Hot Shots slide show to see all of the photos from this game.
Most Viewed Stories
Late goal gives Edison back-to-back league titles
LOS ALAMITOS - One powerful swing of the right leg from junior Kelsey Wetzstein brought No. 10 Edison a second consecutive Sunset League title.
Wetzstein scored the winning goal on a free kick with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation as the Chargers rallied for a 2-1 victory over Los Alamitos on Thursday at Laurel School.
“We’ve played well and I’m proud of our team,” Wetzstein. “This team is on an ultimate high and that is going to drive us and take us far.”
————————————————
————————————————
Edison (16-5-3, 7-1-2) has defeated Los Alamitos (11-6-6, 6-2-2) in the teams’ last four meetings, all by one-goal margins.
The Griffins were seeking their first Sunset League championship since 2008-2009 and will be the league’s No. 2 seed when the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs start next week.
“Set pieces are going to decide big games and Kelsey hit that one rock solid,” Chargers coach Kerry “Mac” Crooks said. “They battled hard and I’m proud of the girls.”
The Griffins established pressure on the Chargers' defense early in the first half and took a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute. Leading a run toward the goal, senior Callie Taylor passed to senior Lindsey Salcido who found junior Raya Young in the middle of the box. Young’s shot attempt was stopped by Chargers sophomore goalie Alison Jahansouz, but Young stayed with the loose ball and booted the rebound into the near corner of the goal.
The Chargers tied the match a minute later, as sophomore Audrey Minar found an open space from well above the box and blasted a high-arching shot just under the crossbar and into the back of the net.
“I got possession of the ball and thought I was going to do a cross or kick it down the line,” Minar said. “Then I decided to take the shot and I got it.”
Edison nearly took the lead in the 14th minute. Off a corner kick from senior Ricci Cooper, junior Karly Freeman managed to get a header off that bounced off the near post.
Los Alamitos controlled possession throughout the remainder of the first half, but was unable to convert several quality chances around the goal and the match remained tied at the intermission.
The Griffins had a great scoring chance early in the second half, but a shot by Young was stopped with a save by Jahansouz.
Edison’s backline defenders of junior Sierra Krenik, senior Lizy Grote, and senior Dierdre Oliver began to close off the Griffins attack and didn’t allow quality scoring opportunities throughout the remainder of the half.
After a Los Alamitos foul in the 71st minute, Wetzstein drove a booming free kick from around 40 yards out that sailed over the head of Griffins goalie Emily Woodworth and tucked just inside the corner of the near post.
“I thought I was going to send it in, but everyone was telling me to shoot it,” Wetzstein said. “I said ok and the ball just happened to go in.”
The Chargers defense smothered the Griffins the rest of the match, not allowing them a sustained possession.
“Defense was my main question coming into league,” Crooks said. “Our whole defensive line has stepped up and become formidable.”
Griffins coach Steve Soler acknowledged his team wasn’t able to sustain their strong start in the first half.
“We played well in the first half, got the first goal, and the energy and intensity was there,” Soler said. “In the second half, we went away from getting the ball wide and it was too sloppy with people standing around. At the end of day, it’s about creating your chances and finishing them.”
