Madera comes back for win

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune

Madera’s Adela Alvarez (10) battles with Madera South’s Alilah Herrera for possession during last week’s rivalry match. Alvarez scored had two assists on Madera’s three goals in the victory over the Stallions.

The Madera South Stallions girls soccer team vowed to show that the first time they played the Madera Coyotes was an anomaly.

The first time, the Coyotes defeated the Stallions 4-0. However, last week, the Stallions were the aggressor and came out with an early goal. However, the Coyotes came back for a 3-2 victory at Stallions Stadium.

“In the first half, we were attacking a lot,” Madera South head coach Ramon Delgadillo said. “We had a lot of opportunities. We put a goal in and was continuing to pressure.”

“A lot of it was us being in our own heads,” Madera head coach Cynthia Moreno said. “We thought we had the win because we were able to get it easily the first time.”

Aliah Avila scored the first goal for the Stallions and Brianna Maciel gave Madera South another lead. Madera received goals from Atiana Piñon, Jazzell Ruiz and the game-winner from Layla Martinez.

“The game could have gone either way. It was an intense game,” Delgadillo said.

Despite the win, Moreno was a little unhappy with her team’s performance against the Stallions.

“A lot of it was just frustration because we came off a big win against Sanger,” she said. “We played defensively, collectively as a team. They went with what the coaches were telling them to. I told them we beat a good Div. I team and we come out here and play like this? It’s disheartening to see that they came out like this. I told them they had to figure it out. Thankfully, they did. They have nothing to lose and have to go with that mindset every game. The girls have potential and have to believe in themselves and each other and take care of business early.”

The Stallions are finally getting back into shape after missing time with illness and injuries.

“I think we’re getting back in shape and business after being off. The pandemic has affected us quite a bit,” Delgadillo said.

Both teams played scoreless for the first 27 minutes of the match.

Avila got the Stallions on the scoreboard with a free kick from about 20 yards out. Avila sent the ball around the Coyotes’ wall and inside the right post for the early goal.

Madera tied the score in the fourth minute of the second half. Adela Alvarez got the ball on the left and centered it to Piñon in the middle. Pinon settled the ball and shot to goal and it skipped through the legs of Madera South goalkeeper Melani Rinder to tie the score.

“I knew Cynthia would make some adjustments into the second half,” Delgadillo said. “It turned around and it was more even and we went back and forth”

Madera South came back to reclaim the lead in the 13th minute. Avila got the ball on the left and attracted two Coyote defenders. She sent the ball to the middle for a wide-open Maciel, who shot high over Madera goalkeeper Emily Lopez for the gal and a 2-1 lead.

Madera South was called for a questionable hand-ball in the box and Madera received a free kick. Ruiz got the call and sent her shot to the upper-right corner for the goal tie the match.

In the 30th minute, the Coyotes claimed the lead. Off a corner kick from Alvarez, Martinez leaped up to get her head on the ball. Her header went high into the back of the net for the 3-2 lead.

Madera South had a potential game-winner get called back by a questionable offsides call with about 10 minutes left in the match.

“We saw a potential offsides on film,” Delgadillo said. “The ball was already in there before she moved in. The handball they called, the hand was on her body. It was a really good match. It was towards the end and it would have been tied. We were celebrating and the flag went up.”