Liberty girls rally past BHS for SEYL soccer crown
| Friday, Feb 13 2009 02:40 AM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 01:27 PM
Images
Bakersfield High's Samantha Pena, left, uses some fancy footwork to avoid crashing into Liberty's Darci Smith on Thursday night at Liberty High.
Maybe it was the halftime speech that earned Liberty's Southeast Yosemite League championship.
Or maybe it was Mariah Alvidrez's speed, which helped her score the equalizing goal on a rebound and set up the winner with a long run.
Or it could have been Summer Chavez's finishing ability, which netted her two second-half goals.
Whatever the reason, consider the SEYL girls soccer title property of the Patriots. Liberty stormed back to beat Bakersfield 3-1 at home Thursday to complete a perfect league season with a win against their biggest SEYL rivals.
"For me, it's all about the girls," Liberty coach Lorne Howlett said. "I'm just glad they get to experience this."
It was Howlett, however, who helped to light a fire in Liberty (17-2-3, 12-0-0). The Patriots trailed 1-0 at halftime on an early goal by BHS' Gabi Lerma.
"Our coach had a good halftime talk," Chavez said. "He said if we think we're working hard, then we need to work that much harder, you know? He said if you work hard, the goal will come."
It didn't take the message long to materialize. Alvidrez tied the game on a rebound, then set up Chavez to put Liberty ahead with about 25 minutes to play.
"Mariah took it down with her speed and passed it, slipped me through," Chavez said. "I just saw a corner and went for it."
Chavez added another goal on a cross from Alvidrez in the final five minutes to set off a celebration along the sideline and in the sizable crowd.
Bakersfield (14-5-4, 10-2-0) finished with eight shots but spent most of the second half on defense.
"It's a tale of two halves," Bakersfield coach Brian Walker said. "I thought we came out in the first half and took it to them. In the second half, they came out and played better than us. We didn't show up in the second half, and you can't do that against a good team."
Howlett and Liberty athletic director Tim Davis said they hoped the undefeated league season and a season split with Clovis-Buchanan would be enough to merit a No. 2 seed in the Central Section playoffs -- and a home game if Liberty and Buchanan were to meet again.
But for now, all the Patriots were worried about was celebrating their first goal.
"Our girls did get a little nervous," said Howlett, a former Driller himself. "It was a big stage, and we were a little shell-shocked.
"... They worked hard, and they deserve it. They really do."
