Girls Under 12 Soccer Team Heads for Championship

The Petaluma Tide is looking more like a tsunami, and it’s headed for Arcata. After winning only two games last year, the Girls Under 12 soccer team, part of the Petaluma United Soccer Club, is headed up to Humboldt County for the Cal Soccer League championship tournament this weekend, Nov. 12- 13.

The Tide not only had a stellar 8-1 league record, but has also won several tournaments throughout northern California during the season. Their defense allowed only six goals all season behind primary goal tender, Haeley Hughes. Hughes is supported by a defense including Sabrina Appling, Neila Gross, Katie Marr, Samantha Martin, Margret Pieper and Erin Sammon.

“This is one of the best teams I have ever coached,” said assistant coach Remy Gross. “They have come together as a unified force and support each other in a true team spirit.”

The offense that led the scoring tsunami including multiple shut-outs is built around the skills of Jennah Copeland, Grace Hosbein, Clare Galten, Cheyanne Gillespie, Angelina Gonzales, Katie Gross, Julya Kinahan , Stephanie Martinez, Cassie Walsh and Caitlyn Wood.

Thoughout the regular season, the Tide scored 36 goals and allowed only 6. Their only loss came last weekend, 3-2 at the hands (and feet) of the Santa Rosa Attack.

“We played an excellent final game,” said Coach Gross. “Santa Rosa Attack just played that much better.”

“This team has no stars,” said the teams’ head coach, Seth Campbell. “We are a team in the truest sense of the word, we simply all love the game of soccer and come out to play our very best, I think that is the key to our success,” he finished.

The team is a member of the Petaluma United Soccer Club, comprised of the Division 3 U10 to U14 teams representing the Petaluma Youth Soccer League in the District V Playing League of the California Youth Soccer Association. To learn more about Petaluma United Soccer visit their website.