MOUNTAIN VIEW - Fans running just a little late for Thursday's WCAL girls playoff soccer title game missed it all.
Just two minutes into the game, St. Ignatius senior halfback Carly Bell took a corner kick from Georgina Stiegler and headed it into the net as stunned Archbishop Mitty defenders looked on. That was all the Wildcats needed in a 1-0 victory against the Monarchs.
The victory secured for the Wildcats a league co-title with Valley Christian.
"We've been working so hard this season," Bell said. "We've had ups and downs, but when it really mattered we just put the game away and it just feels awesome."
After the final whistle was blown, the Wildcats melded into a happy scrum near midfield, celebrating their improbable championship. St. Ignatius' record (11-5-5, 4-3-5) wasn't overwhelming and included a late-season loss to sixth-place Notre Dame Belmont, but the Wildcats came through when it mattered most.
"We're happy with it," S.I. coach Carlos Escobar said. "We didn't end the season particularly well, but in the tournament we've found new life and hopefully we can keep it rolling."
Next up for both teams are the Central Coast Section playoffs, with the seeding meeting set for Saturday. But first the teams had this WCAL tourney finale at St. Francis to get out of the way, and S.I. was prepared.
Mitty had a lapse on that early corner kick and Bell made the Monarchs pay.
"We'd been running corner kicks) in practice and we called 'base' which is where you just kick the ball in the middle," Bell said. "I just saw the ball and ran as fast as I could and I headed the ball and it just worked out. It went in the back of the net."
There was still a lot of time left, but Mitty (14-5-4) never managed to score the equalizer, falling to a team it had tied twice in regular-season play.
"One unmarked player in the goal in the first five minutes of the game was the difference in this game," Mitty coach J.T. Hanley said. "It was a concentration error on the first corner kick they had and that was it."
The goal was a godsend to S.I.
"An early goal is every coach's dream," Escobar said. "It settles the team down in a big game. We've been working on corners all season and she's come close a couple of times but had never been able to pull through, but what a time and place to do it."
The lead almost grew larger. Just 13:39 into the game S.I.'s Lindsay Bettinger got loose out front but her shot squirted just to the left of the goal. That could have made it 2-0.
Three minutes later, a kick from Mitty goalie Maya Hoyer hit the Wildcats' Maren Smith and caromed toward the goal as Monarch fans watched in horror. Fortunately for Mitty, the ball rolled past the right post. The Monarchs still had life, and plenty of time to make something happen.
However, the opportunities were few for the Monarchs against the speedy Wildcats. At the 20-minute mark Mitty's Amaya Zabalza centered a ball toward an open teammate in front of the net, but she couldn't corral it.
Eleven minutes after that near miss, Mitty's Lauren Gengarella sent a laser toward the goal, but a diving stop was made.
That's the way it continued in the second half for both teams, as they continued to barely miss on the handful of chances that arose.
"I wasn't surprised it was close," Escobar said. "We've managed to get a goal on them every game this year, but they've managed to come back. They're a great team. J.T. prepares them well. But this time we held strong."
As for Mitty, there will be no league championship banner for 2013-2014, but the section tournament is still ahead.
"It's never easy to lose a championship game, but they'll get something from this, they'll lick their wounds and next Tuesday or Wednesday we'll go out and give whoever we get in the draw a really tough game," Hanley said.
