Madera South comes from behind to down rivals
Wendy Alexander/the Madera Tribune
Madera’s Penelopi Leach is surrounded by Stallions’ Aliah Avila (4) and Lesli Mendoza during Friday’s battle. Leach scored one of three goals for the Coyotes while Avila scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime.
The Madera Stallions girls soccer team came back from a 2-0 deficit to win 4-3 against the Madera Coyotes at Memorial Stadium in overtime.
The Coyotes took a 1-0 lead in the first minute on a goal by Jazmin Pinon on Friday. Maria Zapata added a second goal in the 13th minute to make it 2-0.
The Stallions responded with an unusual goal in the 26th minute. That’s when Aliah Avila kicked a ball from the right corner which slipped through the hands of goalkeeper Yesenia Montoya and bounced into the goal.
But the Coyotes had an answer in the 25th minute when Penelopi Leach drilled a shot from the top of the box to make it 3-1.
Madera South coach Ramon Delgadillo said his team responded well to the adjustments after being down early.
“When we started subbing and started adjusting, I started telling them ‘this isn’t any different than any other game. We need to concentrate on how we play. Lets play our game,’” Delgadillo said. “They started listening towards the end of the first half and they became like a different team.”
The Stallions only took two minutes in the second half to find a goal, scoring on a goal from Brianna Maciel.
“We had a plan to score in the first five minutes. It came in and we controlled the tempo after that,” Delgadillo said.
After Noemi Alfaro found the equalizer In the 65th minute, the Stallions’ defense limited the Coyotes’ chances for the rest of regulation to send the game to overtime.
“We adjusted some of the defenders after we made the mistakes that gave them the goals they scored right away and it turned out to be good,” Delgadillo said.
The Stallions scored the game-winner in the second minute of overtime. The goal came from Avila, who took a shot which slipped through the hands of Montoya.
Madera coach Cameron Hill said it was a typical game between the two rivals as they are often fired up when they see each other.
“They all know each other. They play with each other. It brings out that rivalry,” Hill said. “Plus it’s two schools in one town, so they have a little more energy.”
