Steele Canyon High School Women's Soccer

In a dramatic game without seven players, JILL FEINBERG scored the Golden Goal winner in the 8th minute of the sudden death overtime over Clairemont High 2-1! The goal was set up by LISA MIX's breakaway that Clairemont's goalkeeper blocked, but JILL was there to put it in the back of the net. DELCIE THANKACHAN led off the scoring in the first half from a beauiful play from first LINDSEY SIMPSON, and then COURTNEY CLEAVES, who crossed from the right side to DELCIE who made a diving first touch that beat the keeper. The Cougars held the lead all the way to the 70th minute, when Clairemont was able to score on an unbelievable shot into the upper right corner of the goal. But in the end, it the Cougars defense led by Sweeper BECCA SANDERS, AMANDA ROBBINS, SUZANNE MACNAUGHTON, SARAH YOUNG, and Goalkeeper JESSI BRUCE, who made three incedible game saving saves to secure the win. The game also marked the Varsity debuts of freshman MARY BELT and ALI MENDOZA. Next up Number 1 USDHS @ USDHS on Saturday March 1 @ 2:00pm!

For the second year in a row, the Cougars earned the Number 8 Seed in the Division 3 Playoffs and will play Clairemont High School at Steele Canyon on Wednesday February 26 @ 3:30pm! 1. USDHS 2. Coronado 3. University City 4. La Jolla 5. Valley Center 6. Santana 7. San Dieguito 8. STEELE CANYON!!! 9. Clairemont 10. OLP 11. Serra 12. Central (Imperial Valley) The committee was impressed with the fact that we played one of the toughest schedules this year as a First year program. EVERY team that we lost to this year made the CIF Playoffs! That's an incredible stat, and one that makes this just one more step in our building process toward our CIF Championship in the next few years!

One day after a frustrating loss to Monte Vista, the Cougars woke up to be beat Mt. Miguel 6-0 at home. GESLEE GIORGI scored the 3rd Hat Trick in school history, and DELCIE THANKACHAN added 2 goals in her continuing transformation from sweeper to scoring wizard! COURTNEY CLEAVES added a late goal and LISA MIX played brillantly with 2 assists and setting up many scoring opportunities. BECCA SANDERS, AMANDA ROBBINS, SARAH JORDAN, SUZANNE MACNAUGHTON, and SARAH DIEM led the defense and JESSI BRUCE notched her 8th Shutout of the season. Next up, Granite Hills!

The Cougars gave another impressive glimpse of the future in winning at Mt. Miguel 5-0. The win was the first in Grossmont League history for the team, and moved the Cougars to 8-6-1 with 3 weeks left in their first Varsity Season. It was another very physical game for the Cougars as the Mt. Miguel upperclassman roughed up the girls all over the field, but in the end it was the Cougars technical abilities to posssess the ball and create quality scoring opportunities that made the difference. GESLEE GIORGI led the scoring with 2 goals and came very close a couple of times for her first hat trick. Also scoring was LISA MIX, DANI MORGAN, and REBECCA SANDERS. JESSI BRUCE with the help of her defense notched her 6th shutout of the season. Playing in her most impressive offensive game to date DELCIE THANKACHAN dominated the entire field, passing and moving effortless through the Mt. Miguel defense creating endless scoring opportunities. Next up HELIX on Wednesday and VALHALLA on Friday!

Officials steal show from Granite Hills, Steele Canyon Special to EastCountySports.com EL CAJON - Less than 24 hours after a Valley League game was suspended in the North County due to what the referee ruled was unruly fans, strangeness continued in girls soccer when one of the referees walked out of Wednesday's (Jan. 29) Grossmont South League contest at Valley Stadium. Granite Hills won the game, defeating Steele Canyon 5-2, but not before the flap between referees. With about two minutes left in the first half, the referee situated along the Steele Canyon sideline called a foul on the Cougars. Seconds later, the coach standing just a few yards away was issued a yellow card, then a red card. That's when the fun began. The referee located along the Granite Hills sidelined came across the field, and not only over-ruled the foul, but rescinded both cards as well. Following a brief discussion among the officials, the young referee ripped off his jersey and marched off the field. Not only did the remaining official work the game solo, he also headed the following boys varsity match between the schools with the aid of a pair of volunteer linesmen from the stands. "The referees should be a team and work together," said Cougars coach CHARLIE CLEAVES, who was unaware about the red card until after the match. "It was embarrassing." Granite Hills coach SAMI NEDJAR noted he had never seen anything like it in all of his years in coaching. He called the incident "unfortunate for the players." Despite losing to the powerful Eagles, Steele Canyon continues to show signs that they will be a team to contend with in the near future. "We are a young team and we're trying to make the program at Steele Canyon stronger," said sophomore LISA MIX, who scored both Cougars' goals. The Cougars (7-5, 0-2) stayed close in the first half, trailing only 3-2 at the break. However, the Eagles controlled the midfield over the final 40 minutes to pull away. Senior COURTNEY STOLIS also notched a pair of goals for the Eagles. After TAHNEE FRANCEL gave the Eagles an early lead, Mix tied it off an assist from REBECCA SANDERS. HOWNAZ ZANGANA and Stolis scored within a 2:50 span for a 3-1 Eagles lead, but Mix answered with a goal on a breakaway in the 34th minute, thanks to an excellent lead pass from COURTNEY CLEAVES. Stolis scored her second goal in the 44th minute, then JOYCE O'LEARY capped the scoring with five minutes left, as soph ELLIE MAGDALENO garnered her second assist of the game.