BOYS’ SOCCER
For most of the season, the St. Francis High remained at or near the top of the Mission League. In the final week of the regular season the Golden Knights tumbled to fourth. They then regrouped to advance to the CIF Southern Section Division I semifinals before falling to Long Beach Millikin in overtime. The season turned out to be far from over for St. Francis, which made its inaugural appearance in the CIF Southern California Regional Division II championships. The Golden Knights, led by All-Area Player of the Year selection Eric Verso, captured the tournament championship with a 4-2 win against top seeded San Diego Cathedral Catholic.
Crescenta Valley and Glendale also participated in the playoffs after finishing third and fourth, respectively, in the Pacific League. Crescenta Valley advanced to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs, while Glendale was eliminated in a wild-card match after topping Burbank in a play-in contest.
Verso, Max Cadena, Nick Rihn and David Rios of St. Francis earned All-CIF nods.
GIRLS’ SOCCER
Three area teams qualified for the postseason, including Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Crescenta Valley and Flintridge Prep. Sacred Heart won the Mission League championship for the first time in the program’s history and spent the bulk of the regular season ranked first in the CIF Southern Section Division II poll.
The Tologs saw their season wrap up with a 1-0 second-round loss to Saugus, which would go on to capture the championship.
The Falcons finished first in the Pacific League thanks to the efforts turned in by All-Area Player of the Year Tori Baldridge. Like Sacred Heart, Crescenta Valley’s playoff run was ended with a 1-0 loss to Saugus.
