Liberty suffers first loss of season in title match
Liberty High coach Brandon “Boog” Hearron and his previously undefeated girls soccer team did their best to find solace in what he called “an amazing season” that continues with qualifying for the CIF state playoffs.
However, a 1-0 loss to visiting Clovis North in the CIF Central Section Division I title match appeared more disappointing than the heavy rainfall Friday night.
For the fourth straight year, the Broncos beat the Patriots (22-1) in the playoffs. The teams have faced each other in the playoffs five out of the past six years. The last time Liberty won in the matchup was in the 2018 playoffs on penalty kicks.
Clovis North beat Liberty in 2020 (2-0), 2021 on PKs and 1-0 last year.
The Broncos won their third Valley title in the past seven years. They reached the final in six of those years, including the past five.
“We had a great season,” Hearron said. “Unfortunately if you don’t win it all then you go home with a loss. But we still have something to play for. The girls battled hard tonight. We’re proud of them. It’s a great season.”
Hearron called Friday “a sad night.”
The Patriots showed great effort late in the match, but the Broncos held them off.
Clovis North went up 1-0, 15 minutes into the second half when Broncos senior Braedyn Kincade scored on a spectacular goal. She fired a shot from about 20 yards out off what appeared to be a rebound. Kincade’s shot curled in at the top of the net, where it could not be stopped.
“It was well taken,” Hearron said. “A good hit. We didn’t clear our lines very
well. The elements kind of played a little bit into the game. But it’s a great goal. I don’t think the wind pushed it in. I think it was a good goal.”
Clovis North coach Nick Pappanduros said Kincade made “a beautiful goal.”
“She had the composure and just popped it over the goalie’s head,” Pappanduros said. “She took advantage of the wind being on her back. It was fantastic.”
A steady rainfall began 15 minutes before the game started and carried on throughout the match.
Liberty’s Sophie Stanley fired a shot at the net in the 10th minute shortly after a corner kick from Patriots junior Jaiden Gore. Stanley pleaded at the referee that the ball went past the goal line before Clovis North goalie Brooke Oldham stopped it. But the referee ruled no goal and that the shot was saved.
La’akea Lancial and Stanley also had other scoring chances during the first half but both shots were just off the mark.
With about six minutes left in the first half, Clovis North sophomore Rebhia Mansour had a great look from about 15 yards out but her shot sailed over the net.