Coach Perkinson, Costa soccer move on to State with CIF title
CIF Division II Champions.
In a dominant win on Saturday, Mira Costa High School’s girl’s soccer team took home the CIF Division 2 championship. The victory was especially rewarding for coach Patty Perkinson, who had led her team to four CIF title games over her 30-year coaching career, without a victory.
The Mustangs beat Oak Hills 5-1 in the CIF Southern Section championship game at Warren High in Downy. Ellie Weissenberg and Sierra Sargent scored two goals apiece.
“The dedication, all the hours, and all the hard work the girls put in made this victory happen,” said Perkinson. “My coaching staff and all of their hard work made it possible as well.”
Perkinson, along with her coaching staff of Adam Pomfret, Amanda Cross, and Shannon Cross, said nobody on the team doubted their ability to take home the title.
“We never got discouraged,” said Perkinson. “The girls have always been ready to keep fighting.”
The 5-1 victory against Oak Hill ignited an even brighter fire in the already blazing players.
Grace Watkins celebrates her first-half goal in the CIF title game.
“I definitely think that everyone has a little more confidence in one another now,” said midfielder Grace Watkins. “We saw that it was going to take every single person on the team to get the result we wanted.”
Center-midfielder Sydney Miyasaki agreed. “It took everyone to win that game,” she said.
“I want to give our coaches a lot of credit,” said Miyasaki. “They do a really great job of encouraging the team and getting us pumped up for every game.”
Sierra Sargent scored two goals in the second half. Photos
“Win or lose, I’m proud of the girls and coaches,” said Perkinson. “We accomplished what we went out for, which was winning CIF.”
The division title will be celebrated in MCHS’s brand new gym.
“Now that we have a new gym coming in, we get to hang our banner,” said Perkinson.
But the coach and her players believe that the division title was just a starting point for the team. The girls are now on their way to bringing the state championship title home to Mira Costa.
“The girls are so ready — they’re so fired up,” said Perkinson. “Hopefully we can get through these next two games and bring home the state title.”
On Tuesday, they advanced toward the state championships with a 2-0 victory over number one ranked Corona Santiago High School. On Thursday, they face Serra Catholic in San Juan Capistrano in the Division 1 semi-finals. The winner of that game advances to the championship game on Saturday.