For the first time in school history, the Valencia girls’ lacrosse team has won in the playoffs following a 17-7 victory over the Heritage Patriots of Menifee in the first round of the Division 3 championships on Tuesday.
“It’s emotional,” Valencia head coach Jeff Stenroos said. “Everyone pretty much wrote us off this entire season, and this group of girls have gone through a couple of coaches. They had to fight through that, and this program stayed together, and the girls stayed together.
After the game, Stenroos added that even when the Vikings earned their selection to the playoffs with an at-large bid, there was chatter that his team didn’t belong.
But Stenroos added that if the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section awarded them a bid, the Vikings were going to make the most of the opportunity.
Eight different goal scorers contributed to the Vikings’ win, and for Stenroos, it’s proof that the Vikings belonged.
“We were given the opportunity by CIF to take that opportunity and look, we won our first game,” he said. “It’s just not one or two elite players on this team. It is the entire offense in general. You know, we have 11 offensive players that understand their jobs and they understand their responsibility of what they need to do to.”
Valencia junior Gianna Castro led the Vikings in scoring with four goals.
Shortly after the buzzer went off at the Dr. Paul A. Preisz Stadium at Valencia High School, history was made for the Vikings – and traditions.
Stenroos added that after every win, his team would celebrate with postgame doughnuts, and for the first time in program history, the Vikings will get to do so in the playoffs.
The coach is happy to have led the Vikings to a history-making moment but said that once the celebrations are over, the team will prepare for the next matchup.
“This group of girls would understand this, but one of our favorite things to do is eat doughnuts,” he said. “We played Northwood and they’re a very strong team and we respect them. And it’s just about understanding their style of play, and we can reach that style and be just as successful.”
The Vikings are set to hit the road in the second round of the Division 3 playoffs in a matchup against the Northwood Timberwolves of Irvine with the game set to begin at 4 p.m. Thursday.
After Tuesday’s games, here are scores from the opening round of the CIF-SS playoffs:
Saugus 18, Culver City 17: Following a thrilling one-goal road win over Culver City, the Centurions advanced to the second round of the Division 2 playoffs.
The Centurions are set to hit the road again in the second round in a matchup against the Edison Chargers of Huntington Beach on Thursday.
The matchup between the Centurions and Chargers is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Edison High School in Huntington Beach.
Yorba Linda 15, West Ranch 8: After West Ranch claimed the Foothill League title during the regular season, the Wildcats fell in the first round of the Division 2 playoffs to the Yorba Linda Mustangs on Tuesday.
With the loss, the Wildcats are eliminated from the playoffs.
