G05’s RUSH Forward
The So Cal Rush G05’s have been making a name for themselves. They have celebrated several accomplishments during the 2017-18 season as a result of their hard work, determination, and perseverance. Coach Frankee Gardner is proud of their progress and is excited to see their continued success as they test their limits.
The G05’s started the season off with a dominating first place finish in the SCDSL, Southern California Developmental Soccer League. They secured 10 wins with 1 tie and only 2 losses. This was the first time the G05’s have finished first in league.
After their success in league and a brief holiday break, the G05’s were ready to hit the field again! They participated in the Celtic Cup and came out strong. They advanced to the semi final round with two wins and a tie with only one goal scored on them in pool play. But, surprisingly, they fell short and failed to secure enough points to move on to the finals.
Following the Celtic Cup, the G05’s set their sights on the Strikers Junior Cup in San Bernardino. They were hungry after Celtic Cup and claimed the Strikers Championship with 4 wins and 1 loss. They played an exhausting 5 games in just two days that required pure grit. The one game they lost with a close score of 1-2, was against a local rival, AV Storm. Thankfully, they got the rematch they desired against their rivals in the semis and this time, they came out on top with 1-0 win! They then faced Beach FC in the finals and secured a 2-1 win to claim their fourth championship. They scored ten goals and only gave up three. Impressive stats!
The next step in their journey led them to State Cup. They battled hard in pool play and won all three games, 2-0. The next round resulted in a devastating loss. The opponent scored when the ball ricocheted off the post giving them an early goal in the first half. The G05’s found the net to tie it up, but despite dominating the game, they were unable to find the net again. With a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation time, two overtime periods followed. The 1-1 tie held, therefore, the dreaded penalty kick tiebreaker resulted. Unfortunately, the opponent scored more pk’s and, therefore, this part of the G05’s State Cup journey came to a close. Despite the disappointing ending, Coach Frankee was impressed with the dedication and heart her players showed. Several players stepped up to play in positions they didn’t normally play in and a team captain even volunteered to play goalie during the pk’s. Sometimes the toughest situations lend themselves to the best teaching moments.
The G05’s have earned the opportunity to play in the Juniors Classic in San Luis Obispo and are looking forward to the beach sand tournament and Rush sponsored 3v3 tourney later this spring. Keep your eye on this team. They are not afraid of hard work and are willing to put forth the incredible effort needed to succeed. Through continued pure grit and determination, they have moved up in the California rankings to #57 and are now a Platinum team. Keep up the incredible work, G05’s.
So Cal Rush G05’s: Sarah Fort, Meah Quihuis, Alexis Ayala, Belinda Gonzalez, Jasmine Cordero, Annie Valenzuela, Elizabeth Chavez, Samantha Grantham, Tiffany Ho Ching Rangel, Jada Echols, Lilian Dodson, Cherrish Cleveland, Alyssa Vernon, Olivia Rivera, Abbey Gremer, Siera Collier, Hayden Bryant, and Kyndell Hendrix