Despite injuries and playing a demanding schedule, the Culver City High School girls soccer team goes into the Ganesha Tournament this weekend with a 3-1-1 record.
Owing to injuries, the young Lady Centaurs, who started the season with 19 players, are down to 14.
But they are stepping up and facing adversity head on.
They play San Dimas at 1:30 on Saturday in the Ganesha Tournament on the Ganesha High School campus in Pomona.
“We have so many injuries but the girls have really pulled together,” said Coach Scott Mair. “The girls are playing as a team. They step up to play different positions. That’s all a coach can ask for.”
Culver City is led by sophomore midfielder Amanda Jaramillo, senior captains Tatianna Estrada and Isabel Deharo and goal keeper Emily Cadena.
“A.J. (Jaramillo) is a workhorse,” Mair said. “Our goalkeeper Emily is doing a lot of talking out on the field.”
He said that “everybody is playing hard defensively,” and Mair is proud that “we have girls who can play physical soccer.”
When needed, the Lady Centaurs also can play a finesse game.
Estrada said that even though the Lady Centaurs have many new players, “we are getting to know each other. We look out for each other.”
Newcomers such as midfielder Melissa Ramirez have joined the team and began contributing immediately.
“We are playing pretty good soccer,” said Ramirez. “I really like the girls on this team. They are good players and nice people. I think we will have a great year.”
In Basketball
The girls’ basketball team is 4-2 and will be playing in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic against Fullerton’s Troy High School on Dec. 27.
Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com
