Soccer Wins Sac-Joaquin Section Championship

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ELK GROVE, Calif. – Junior Anna Gregg scored in the 20th minute and No. 4 seed St. Francis held on to defeat No. 3 seed Oak Ridge 1-0 in the championship game of the Les Schwab Tires Sac-Joaquin Section Playoffs presented by Farmers Insurance.

St. Francis (21-3-5) won their 13th section title in school history and first since 2010.

Gregg, who scored at least one goal in all four playoff games, connected on a shot from the left side to the right corner that snuck in past the right bar on the ground to put the Troubadours up 1-0 just 20 minutes into the game.

“We came out hard and pressed them with the wind, got a goal early and we held it,” said Gregg, who recorded her 28th goal of the season. “It was unbelievable.”

Gregg was the Co-Player of the Year in the Delta River League, helping St. Francis to a second-place finish behind Oak Ridge. The Troubadours were undefeated in all four meetings against Oak Ridge, posting a 3-0-1 record against the Trojans.

“I wanted to help the team as best I could and I felt I accomplished that,” said Gregg.

St. Francis held Oak Ridge scoreless going into the half behind a solid defensive effort and strong play of junior Catie Brown in the goal.

“We had to play as a team more than ever,” said senior defender Ashley Kyalwazi. “We had to connect passes, look to score and never give up hope because determination really wins games for us and we did that.”

Playing with the wind in the second half, Oak Ridge pushed to equal the score but was unable to penetrate the goal protected by junior Allie Carmickle, who combined with Brown for their second consecutive shutout in the playoffs.

“It is amazing,” said Carmickle. “Catie (Brown) did great in the first half and the team did their part. In the end we came out victorious.”

St. Francis advanced to the finals with wins over Armijo (4-2), Enochs (5-4) and Granite Bay (1-0).

Head Coach Rosella Kelly led the team to the title in her second season at the helm of the Troubadour program after losing to Franklin in the semifinals in 2013.

Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Championship

Cosumnes Oaks High School

ST. FRANCIS 1, OAK RIDGE 0 1 2 FINAL
St. Francis 1 0 -1
Oak Ridge 0 0 -0

SF – Gregg.