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Granite
Hills Eagles shine in Division I playoffs
By Chris Mac Kenzie
For The Alpine Sun
These girls have been kicking a soccer ball around since they were five years old, getting better and better each year. Now they've reaped the reward.
The Granite Hills High School Girls Soccer team, known as the Eagles, are the undefeated winners of the 2005 San Diego CIF Division I tournament and the first East County team to win a Division I title since the Revised Girls Soccer new playoff alignment was set in 1991.
Last Saturday night, they outplayed the number one ranked Torrey Pines Falcons, in an exciting 1-0 triumph on the Falcon’s home court. The winning goal came with 10 minutes yet to play, during which the Eagles played their hearts out to keep their opponents from scoring
The win was the climax of a season when the Eagles racked up 15 straight victories, first earning the title of Grossmont South League Champs, then defeating Fallbrook, number three rank in the quarter finals, and La Costa Canyon, ranked number two, in the semi finals.
“It was so exciting — it was incredible,” said Stacy Brown, of Alpine, who scored the winning goal by taking a header off a 50 yard free kick from Ashli Sandoval. Especially rewarding was the fact that La Costa Canyon had defeated the Eagles last year in the semifinals, the first year that the local team had ever made it to the CIF finals.
The road to the championship has not been easy. Varsity players must maintain at least a two-point academic average, while practicing five days a week, and spending uncounted hours riding to games around the county, often doing their homework in the car. “I get up at five every morning, because classes start at seven,” said Tahnee Francel, also of Alpine. “Soccer practice is after school, and some of us seniors play powder puff football in the late afternoon.”
Bursting with pride about his team is Coach Gil Vejas, who took over the job after serving as assistant coach last year for Sami Nedjar who had been coaching both the boys and girls teams but this year concentrated on just the boys. Vejas , who also coaches club soccer, has two assistants, his brother, William, and Becky Cooke. Cooke knows well what the girls are achieving, as she played four years at Granite Hills before moving on to Grossmont, and later the university
“The sophomores are the core of this team,” said Vejas “ and we'll only lose five seniors, so it's looking good for next year.” His system is a simple one. “I try to get them in shape first, and next, I try to motivate them to do their best.. Then I get them to believe that they're winners.” Vejas added that their success is due to several factors. Two of his players, Sandoval and Taryn Francel had rejoined the team mid season after competing in a national level tournament in Florida. Second, the Granite Hills goalkeeper Tiffany Apple held the Falcons to a shutout.
He also thinks that there is a strong team spirit as many of the girls have been playing together for years in AYSO games and in club soccer. They even know many of the opposing teams' members having competed with them or against them in club soccer games.
Vejas emphasized that the families are deeply involved. The parents drive the girls two and three times a week to distant games and are always there watching, but they agree that it's all worth it. Some of the seniors have already been awarded “full ride” soccer scholarships for college
Nine of the 24 girls on the Granite Hills team are from Alpine including Stacy Brown, Carrie Margulis, Tahnee Francal, Taryn Francel, Ashley Hemphill, Danielle Hewitt, Rachel Jones, Amanda Omahan and Amanda Olah.
Back to classes on Monday, the entire school soon knew who they are. The girls had gathered Sunday afternoon at the Francels to create bright yellow tee shirts bearing the proud letters “CHAMPS 2005.”
Photo below: The Eagles, CIF champs: From top left, Asst. Coach Travis Clark, Asst. Coach Becky Cooke, Rachel Jones, Tahnee Francel, Naz Zangana, Elisa Saradocus, Lauren Oldenburg, Alexis Harvery, Stacey Brown, Taryn Francel, Ashley Sandoval, Danielle Hewitt, Amanda Omahen, Shannon Fleming, head coach Gil Vejar, asst. coach Will Vejar. Second row: Brandi Whitehead, Katie Vessel, Leeann Medinger, Alicia Moore, Carrie Margulis, Chelsea Harden, Ashley Hemphill, Amanda Olah, Lauren Loiodice, Reana Canet, Torrey Wall. Bottom row: Beronica Obney, Tiffany Apple, Jackie Ayala.
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Chris Mac Kenzie
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