Fountain Valley wins Area K title

Megan Molina scored on a cross from Jenny Soliman four minutes into the second half against North Irvine and that was all Fountain Valley (Region 5) would need to clinch the AYSO Area K championship, 1-0, Saturday in girls’ Under-19 division action.

Fountain Valley (7-0-1) finishes its regular season at noon Saturday at Mile Square Park against South Irvine. Regardless of the that outcome, Region 5 already has locked up the regular season title and will head into the Section 11 Championship tournament as the Area K representative.

Fountain Valley team members are: Molina, Soliman, Alicia Arnett, Vivien Bayless, Lauren Brose, Alex Capuano, Jordi Emrich, Desiree Fisher, Kalei Hauber, Mikayla Mager, Kendra Martinez, Michelle Mendoza, Alyx Merickel, Taylor Merickel, Jovanna Molina, Cheyanne Murrietta, Kaitlyn Ramirez, Brittney Stevens and Cami Stevens.

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Pop Warner Football

Huntington Beach 14, Pasadena 12: The Oilers jumped out to a 14-0 lead on Pasadena and then held on for the Mighty Mite Division victory over the Trojans in an Orange Empire Conference Bowl game Saturday at Edison High.

The Chargers finished their season on a high note and again were led by quarterback Christopher Soto, who rushed 13 times for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Soto also completed two of four passes for 19 yards, both completions to Cole Koffler. Ultimately, the difference in the game was not Koffler’s catches, but his right leg. His two-point conversion kick after the Chargers’ second touchdown proved to be the difference.

“That’s what we work all year for is the bowl game,” Chargers Coach Dareld Karns said. “No matter what happened the whole season, we’re playing someone that matches up well with us and we beat them.”

Just like the Chargers’ game the previous week, when they lost on the game’s final play to a tough Tustin squad, Saturday’s game was close.

The Chargers took a 6-0 lead in the second quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by Soto that capped a 10-play, 55-yard drive. The Chargers made it difficult on themselves by being penalized three times for 15 yards, but also came up with big plays. On fourth-and-11 from the Trojans’ 45-yard line, Soto found Koffler over the middle for a 12-yard gain. Soto ran for 18 yards on the next play and four plays later, ran the ball in from the three.

Possibly the key to the game came with the Chargers on defense after the Trojans moved the ball inside the Chargers’ five-yard-line late in the first half. The Trojans ran the ball four consecutive times, including on fourth-and-one, but the Chargers defense held.

“Overall, our defense had a great game,” Karns said. “Four downs inside the five, that was a great defensive stand.”

On the Chargers’ first possession of the second half, they needed only two plays to score. Thanks to a wide receiver Cade Haakenson’s block on a Pasadena cornerback, Soto was able to get outside and turn the corner on a quarterback bootleg and race in for a 42-yard touchdown run.

Following Koffler’s kick, the Chargers held a comfortable 14-0 lead but Pasadena got back in the game by first scoring on a 35-yard run. The Trojans later scored on a 38-yard pass that came one play after a Pasadena defender stripped the ball from a Chargers’ ballcarrier to give the Trojans possession.

The Chargers, though, were able to milk the clock with a couple first downs and hold on for the win. They finished their season with a 4-6 record.

“I like the fact that we got better as the season went along,” Karns said. “To win a ballgame like this from where we started…you can see the smiles on all the kids’ faces.”

— Joe Haakenson

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Jr. All-American Football

Five Huntington Beach teams will compete Saturday in postseason playoff action. The Jr. Future Oilers play a bowl game against the Manhattan Beach Falcons at 8 a.m. Hart Park in Orange; the undefeated Jr. Clinic Oilers battle the Woodcrest Generals at 5 p.m. Dana Hills High; the Clinic Oilers face the Carson Colts at 5 p.m. Carson High in Wilmington; the Pee Wee Oilers take on the South Gate Aztecs at 11 a.m. Gahr High in Cerritos; and the Jr. Midget Oilers meet the Downey Mustangs at noon at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Baldwin Hills.