On January 14 2022, the South El Monte high school junior varsity soccer team competed against Gabrielino. The game was home beginning at 3:15 and ending around 4:30. This game was very important to the JV team because the team is currently sitting in last place in the Mission Valley League standings.

The game began with a very high tempo considering the JV team had many of their players injured or sick with Covid. Gabrielino had to loan 3 players including a goalkeeper to South in order for South to compete due to having less than 11 players present. Dr. Torres had also sent one of the varsity substitutes to help out the JV team. The players were constantly running up and down the field. For the first 10 to 15 minutes of the first half South El Monte had controlled possession of the ball and had multiple chances to score, but Gabrielino’s goalkeeper managed to save every shot. Gabrielino was the first to score due to a counter attack after only 2 of the 4 defender’s stayed in the back to defend. After kickoff South El Monte went on to try and score creating a beautiful build up play which ended up with the shot hitting the near post. On the next play Junior Edgar Murillo dribbled past 2 players and scored a shot into the top left corner making the game 1-1. Following the next kick off South El Monte conceded another goal in the last minutes of the first half making the score 2-1. Many of the players were frustrated because they were playing with 10 players, and missing one because the goalkeeper from Gabrielino was saving almost every shot.

In the second half Gabrielino controlled most of the game. More than halfway into the second half Gabrelino’s left fullback tackled Edgar Murillo very aggressively injuring his ankle causing the game to be paused. Athletic Director Mrs. Ayala came to check on Murillo and gave him an ice pack for his ankle. Gabrielino kept going forward, creating multiple scoring opportunities including 2 goals ending the game with a 4-1 loss for the Eagles. After the game Coach Torres had some words for the JV team “Considering the circumstances we were in, we did not have a bad game at all, you guys played a very good game I’m proud of you guys.”