FRANCIS FEDOR FOTOGRAPHY • francisfotography@outlook.com
Miya Sikhakhane gets to the ball ahead of Hillsborough Terrier defender.
Sumner soccer, basketball updates
By FRANCIS FEDOR
Girls soccer continues to roll
The Sumner Stingray girls soccer team, led by coach Tony Pirotta, won its very first playoff game, a home 8-3 victory over the Hillsborough Terriers on Friday, Feb. 6. This continued the trend of the senior-less Sumner HS’s rising to the occasion and posting a winning season.
The game started with the Stingrays and Terriers exchanging goals, but the Stingrays scored the next three goals, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. The Terriers stayed in the game with two unanswered goals to bring the score to a Sumner 4-3 lead and threatened to tie the goal on a penalty kick. The kick was successful, but then disallowed as the player attempting the kick was injured during the events leading up to the penalty kick and not allowed, by rule, to take the kick. The penalty shot was reattempted by the Terriers and the attempt sailed wide left, keeping the score at 4-3.
Sumner broke the game open with the next four goals to get to the final score of 8-3. Sumner scoring was led by Stingray Jr. Katie Rocha with four goals for the night. Savannah Brooks tallied two goals with Hailey Fredrichsen and Miya Sikhakhane each scoring a goal.
Sumner goalie Catalina Rodriguez-Kretz held the Terriers to a single goal in the over 80 minutes of play while making three saves. The Stingray scoring and solid defense assisted in keeping the pressure off their goal.
Sumner will now play in the 5A District 8 tournament championship game on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. at Hillsborough High School.
Boys soccer advances to district finals
The Sumner Boys soccer team coached by Mike Lankford won its second-round playoff game on Feb. 4 by a 3-2 score over Hillsborough high. Isaac Hernandez, Daniel Gonzalez and Ricardo Rose each scored a goal for the victorious Stingrays. Sumner goalie Arnulfo Ledesma was clutch in goal with six saves.
The Sumner boys won their first-round playoff game on Feb. 2 to advance to the second-round game vs. Hillsborough high.
Sumner will play in the 5A District 8 finals on Feb. 9 at Sumner HS vs the #1 tournament seed, Jesuit.
Boys basketball sweeps the week
The Sumner boys basketball team, led by coach Jamie Turner, won both its games on Feb. 2 and Feb. 4, running its record to 10-8 overall and to 6-3 in the district, which places the team in 3rd place in the 5A District 9 standings.
The Stingrays were victorious by a 61-57 final score on Feb. 4 vs. Riverview.
The Feb. 2 win was a 69-67 win over King High School in OT. King won the first half, and Sumner came back to win the second half, setting up the OT game. It was a tight contest all the way through, but the young Stingray boys basketball team kept the game close throughout and made enough key shots in overtime to secure the victory.
The team will open its playoff action as a 4 seed in the 5A District 9 tournament vs the 5 seeded Middleton.
FRANCIS FEDOR FOTOGRAPHY • francisfotography@outlook.com
Stingray goaltender Catalina Rodriguez-Kretz reacts to a penalty kick.
FRANCIS FEDOR FOTOGRAPHY • francisfotography@outlook.com
Stingray players Katie Rocha and Miya Sikhakhane celebrate one of Katie Rocha’s four goals of the night.
FRANCIS FEDOR FOTOGRAPHY • francisfotography@outlook.com
Mckayla Luzod advances the ball ahead of a Hillsborough Terrier.
FRANCIS FEDOR FOTOGRAPHY • francisfotography@outlook.com
Stingray player Chase Amarosa battles a Hillsborough Terrier to make a play.