Girls’ soccer team moving in the right direction

Photo by George Laase GETTING AHEAD—First year varsity player, Mid-fielder Melissa Ramirez heads a shot on goal as the Lady Centaurs defeat Lynwood 2-0.

 

Despite injuries and playing a demanding schedule, the Lady Centaurs’ soccer team goes into the Ganesha Girls Soccer Tournament this weekend with a 3-1-1 record. The young Centaurs are down to 14 players from the original 19-player roster that started the season due to injuries, but the girls are stepping up and facing adversity head on.

The team’s next game is on the road against San Dimas at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Ganesha Tournament. Ganesha High School is located in the City of Pomona.

“We have so many injuries but the girls have really pulled together,” said coach Scott Mair. “The girls are really playing as a team and they are stepping up to play different positions. That’s all a coach can ask for.”

Right now Culver City is led by sophomore midfielder Amanda Jaramillo, senior captains Tatianna Estrada and Isabel Deharo and goalkeeper Emily Cadena.

“A.J. (Jaramillo) is a work horse and our goal keeper Emily is doing a lot of talking out there on the field,” Mair said. “Everybody is playing hard defensively and we have some players who can play physical soccer.”

Mair also pointed out that the lady Centaurs can play a finesse game if needed.

“We have a lot of new girls this year but we are getting to know each other,” Estrada said. “We are looking out for each other.”

Some of the new girls like midfielder Melissa Ramirez have joined the varsity team and are contributing immediately.

“I think we are playing pretty good soccer right now,” said Ramirez last week. “I really like the girls on this team. They are good soccer players and nice people. I think we will have a great year.”

The girls’ basketball team is currently 4-2 and will be playing in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic against Fullerton’s Troy high school on Dec. 27.