Sonora leaves no doubt in girls soccer rematch with rival La Habra

LA HABRA — The Sonora girls soccer team still needs a lot to happen for it to win the Freeway League title, but raising the rivalry “Clete” trophy after thoroughly dominating La Habra 5-1 on Thursday will certainly satisfy a lot of things, and may be just what it needs to go on a deep playoff run next month.

Sonora’s Hailey Kroischke, center, holds up the “City Champion” trophy, called “The Cleat” to celebrate with her team in a 5-1 win over La Habra High School in a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

Sonora’s Sophie Forrester, left, celebrates scoring a goal with Sophia Fimbres, who made the assist, during the second half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match against La Habra High School in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

Sonora’s Sophia Fimbres, right, celebrates her second goal with Ava Roudenko during the first half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match at Sonora High School in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Sophia Fimbres scores three times, for a hat trick, and added an assist to lead Sonora in a 5-1 win over La Habra. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

La Habra’s Nicole Munoz, right, stops a shot by Sonora’s Kristen Smick during the second half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

Sonora’s Elizabeth Morrison, left, controls the ball in front of La Habra’s Natalie Amloian during the second half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

Sonora’s Sophia Fimbres, top, gets the ball past La Habra goalkeeper Illise Medrano to score her first goal during the first half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Sophia Fimbres scores three times, for a hat trick, and added an assist to lead Sonora in a 5-1 win over La Habra. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

Sonora’s Sophia Fimbres, right, gets the ball past La Habra goalkeeper Illise Medrano to score her second goal during the first half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Sophia Fimbres scores three times, for a hat trick, and added an assist to lead Sonora in a 5-1 win over La Habra. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

Sonora’s Maleah Bell, left, defends against a shot by La Habra’s Nicol Sanchez during the second half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

Sonora goalkeeper Krystal Maxey, right, gets a boot on the ball to stop a shot by La Habra’s Madison Lopez during the second half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

Sonora’s Kristen Smick, left, takes a shot with pressure from La Habra’s Elisa Arce, center, and Taylor Staveley during the first half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

Sonora’s Meghan Oh, right, passes the ball away from La Habra’s Jasmin Martinez during the second half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

La Habra’s Alanis Cervantes, right, controls the ball against Sonora’s Ava Roudenko during the second half of a Freeway League girls prep soccer match in La Habra, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)

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Sonora coach Cory Witt told his girls before the game that there’s no pressure when you’re prepared, and that’s exactly how the Raiders played, with senior forward Sophia Fimbres leaving her footprints all over the place with three goals and an assist.

Sonora, ranked No. 8 in CIF Southern Section Division 3, improved to 12-3-2 and 4-2-1 to remain in third in the the Freeway league. But its win avenged an earlier 1-0 loss to La Habra (15-5-4, 6-2), and dropped the Highlanders to second in the Freeway League behind leading Troy (9-2-2, 6-0-1).

“We have a lot of respect for that program over there,” Witt said of La Habra. “They took it to us the first game we played them and we needed to have a response, and that’s what it’s all about. These girls came together and we found our joy again. We’re playing with a lot of energy, a lot of happiness and they’re playing with a smile on their face and getting after it.”

Fimbres gave Sonora a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute on sheer hustle. She darted to the goal line on a cross that Highlanders keeper Ilese Medrano was closing in on too. They both were battling for the ball near the goal line with Fimbres hovering over Medrano when the referee ruled it crossed for a 1-0 lead.

Sonora’s Sophia Fimbres talks after scoring three goals with an assist in 5-1 win over La Habra pic.twitter.com/Zb1sVSwAZP

— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) January 28, 2022

Sophia Fimbres gave Sonora a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute on sheer hustle. She darted to the goal line on a cross that Highlanders keeper Ilese Medrano was chasing down too. They both were battling for the ball with Fimbres hovering over Medrano when the referee ruled it crossed. pic.twitter.com/IL5Y8jRHMW

— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) January 27, 2022

“I had similar (chances) and misses like that earlier in the season,” Fimbres said. “But this is our rivalry game and I said I’m not missing that goal, I’m going to do whatever it takes.”

It was that effort that was contagious throughout.

“At the beginning of the season our energy was pretty off, we couldn’t connect and we were pretty out of it,” Fimbres said. “But a couple weeks ago we started practicing harder, started showing our dedication and our energy grew because we all love each other.”

Before you could blink, Hailey Kroischke doubled the Raiders’ lead, drilling a 30-yard free kick off the crossbar and in for a 2-0 lead in the 10th minute.

Sonora coach Cory Witt after his teams dominant 5-1 victory over rival La Habra pic.twitter.com/iaZMwUEcVX

— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) January 28, 2022

Natalie Amloian got La Habra back in it, stealing the ball away from the final defender to leave herself one-on-one with the keeper, and she didn’t flinch, tucking her finish inside the left post in the 29th minute, cutting Sonora’s lead to 2-1.

But Sonora was simply too fast and aggressive the opening half, and it paid off again with Fimbres’ second goal in the 33rd minute to go up 3-1.

Sophie Forrester finishes on the great pass from Sophia Fimbres to make it 5-1 Sonora over La Habra pic.twitter.com/bKI5otMmwU

— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) January 28, 2022

A key moment came early in the second half when La Habra’s Madison Lopez had a breakaway against Sonora goalkeeper Krystal Maxie, with Maxie foot-saving it as Lopez tried to dribble around her.

That was costly, because Fimbres finished her hat trick in the 55th minute to put the Raiders up 4-1, and then Fimbres sent a cross late for Sophia Forrester, who headed it home for their four-goal lead.

Raiders central defender Maleah Bell talked about holding the Highlanders’ offense in check.

“We talked before the game about a hurricane that comes after we score a goal, so our team was more determined after we scored to really keep our heads and stay focused and it really showed,” Bell said. “Our whole defense played well collectively and it was really awesome.”

Sonora defender Maleah Bell held it down for the Raiders, and talks about her teams’ big win over La Habra. pic.twitter.com/NCCVK9IhYn

— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) January 28, 2022

https://t.co/KJcxsm2Bwc pic.twitter.com/x97Fywhu1y

— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) January 28, 2022

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on January 28, 2022

Sonora leaves no doubt in girls soccer rematch with rival La Habra

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