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    Magnolia girls soccer wins school’s first CIF-SS title by edging La Quinta in OT
    • February 25, 2023

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    GARDEN GROVE — Magnolia captured its first CIF Southern Section team championship in any sport Friday night behind its resilient girls soccer team, which was led by a player who knew how to use the wind to the Sentinels’ advantage.

    Junior Brisa Medina scored twice on direct shots off corner kicks, including the game-winning strike in the middle of the first sudden-death overtime period to lift Magnolia past La Quinta 2-1 in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship in rainy and windy conditions at Bolsa Grande High.

    Magnolia High, which opened in 1961, has crowned individual section champions but before Friday it had never won a title in a team sport.

    Girls soccer head coach Erland Jones raises the championship trophy on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, as the Magnolia Sentinels celebrate following their CIF-SS Division 7 overtime win over La Quinta in Grades Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    Magnolia High School’s girls soccer team celebrates on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, following their CIF-SS Division 7 championship game win over La Quinta in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    Magnolia High School’s girls soccer team celebrates on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, following their CIF-SS Division 7 championship game win over La Quinta in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    Magnolia’s Brisa Medina (14) helped lead the Sentinels to a 2-1 overtime win over La Quinta on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship game in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    La Quinta’s Zoe Berner (77) defends Magnolia’s Gia Hinojosa (12) on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, during Magnolia’s CIF-SS Division 7 championship game overtime win in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    Magnolia’s Brisa Medina (14) helped lead the Sentinels to a 2-1 overtime win over La Quinta on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship game in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    Magnolia goalkeeper Xuan Mai Johnson can’t stop a second half penalty off the foot of La Quinta’s Jillian Ferguson on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, during Magnolia’s CIF-SS Division 7 championship game overtime win in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    Magnolia High School’s girls soccer team celebrates on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, following their CIF-SS Division 7 championship game win over La Quinta in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    La Quinta’s Haley Flores races upfield on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, during Magnolia’s CIF-SS Division 7 championship game overtime win in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    La Quinta’s Zoe Berner gets by Magnolia’s Brisa Medina (14) on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, during Magnolia’s CIF-SS Division 7 championship game overtime win in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    Magnolia High School’s girls soccer team celebrates on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, following their CIF-SS Division 7 championship game win over La Quinta in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    Magnolia’s Angela Mantujano (4) dribbles past La Quinta’s Samantha Delgado (14) on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, during Magnolia’s CIF-SS Division 7 championship game overtime win in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

    La Quinta’s Zoe Berner (77) dribbles upfield on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, during Magnolia’s CIF-SS Division 7 championship game overtime win in Garden Grove. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

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    “It feels amazing,” Medina said after a celebration with dozens of fans who braved the harsh weather. “This is an unforgettable feeling. We got to where we are with teamwork.”

    Medina scored on direct shots off corner kicks by sending the boots high into the wind, where the ball flew into the net courtesy of consistent winds of about 20 miles per hour that blew toward the north end of the field.

    The winning goal arrived on her second consecutive corner kick, sneaking into the near corner with 4:10 left in the sudden-death period.

    “It was just a matter of looking toward the corner and the wind helped me out, which was great,” said Medina, who has a team-leading 15 goals for the Sentinels (17-9-1).

    Magnolia played with the wind at its back for the first overtime period and answered a goal late in the second half by La Quinta’s Jillian Ferguson.

    The Aztecs (16-7-5), who played the second half with the wind at their back, drew a hand ball against Magnolia in the penalty box and Ferguson scored on a penalty kick to tie the score at 1-1 with about 13 minutes left in regulation.

    Earlier in the second half, the Garden Grove League champion almost scored off a corner kick from the same spot as Medina but goalie Xuan Mai Johnson scrambled to the ball.

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    Medina bent in her first corner kick for a goal in the 33rd minute to give the Orange League champions a 1-0 lead.

    The title was special for longtime Magnolia coach Erland Jones and his coaching staff of alumnus Alyssa Garcia and Wilfredo Velasco. In his 21st season, Jones had five children and one foster child graduate from Magnolia, where he and his late wife Deborah worked.

    “We’ve been the underdog a lot of times,” Jones said with tears in his eyes. “It’s amazing (to win).”

    ​ Orange County Register 

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