Youth Scene: HB WILD wins division title

HB WILD, a girls’ Under-14 division team from AYSO Region 117 (Fountain Valley-Huntington Beach), won its division championship Sunday (Feb. 23) at the Beach Classic at Cal State Long Beach.

HB WILD defeated teams from Chino Hills, Los Alamitos and Long Beach to get into the championship game against the Rancho Cucamonga Flames. Both teams went into the championship game with a 4-0 record.

In the division final, solid defense by both teams stopped some great attacks. HB WILD kept the pressure on with Holly Garrett, Lindsay Kenefick, and Clarissa Orna breaking through the defense to take some strong shots, but the Flames keeper was there to make great saves. . There was a great battle for ball possession in the midfield with WILD’s Rachel Roberts, Destiny Rivas, Gena Kaiser, Megan Crutsinger, Crystal Banh, Megan Tingle and Mariah Zermeno there to challenge every time the Flames touched the ball. HB WILD defenders Anna Brown, Paige Frink and Danielle Johnson anchored the backfield while Kiana Flores protected the goal and kept the Flames attack in check.

Kenefick was able to find the back of the net just before halftime. HB WILD was able to hold the lead until the last minute of the game when the Flames were able to get the ball on a breakaway and scored. The game went into overtime and both teams had some chances on goal but the game ended in a 1-1 score. Shootout goals by Kenefick and Garrett and saves Flores at keeper, gave the WILD the victory.

HB WILD outscored their five opponents, 17-3, to earn the championship medals.

The WILD is coached by Jimmy Zermeno and Ryan Brown.

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Ocean View Little League

Minor A Division

Hot Rods 4, Nuts 2: Behind the fine-tuned pitching of AJ Hurtado and Gavin Kells, the Hot Rods edged the Nuts 4-2 to win what was the season opener for both teams on opening day Saturday at Ocean View Little League.

Both pitchers threw three innings with Hurtado striking out seven batters, Kells recording five strikeouts, and the hard-throwing duo surrendered only one hit. The pair needed to be on their game as Nuts’ pitching kept the Hot Rods off-balance most of the game allowing just five hits.

Kells and Myles Lopez scored twice and Quentin Custodio doubled and singled to lead the Hot Rods. Custodio and Lopez both doubled in the third inning as part of a two-run inning that gave the Hot Rods a 2-1 lead. The Nuts tied the score, 2-2, in the top of the fifth but the Hot Rods scores twice in the bottom-half of the inning to take the lead for good.

Cade Hart shined for the Nuts, scoring one run, getting his team’s lone hit, a double, in the fifth, and threw two innings.

— Reader submission