Imperial Girl’s Soccer historic run ends just short
ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KYMA) - The seventh-seeded Imperial Tigers marched all the way to the CIF Division 4 championship match, taking on second-seeded Mission Vista Timberwolves one of the favorites in the bracket.
Imperial found itself trailing early after an own goal put Mission Vista up 1-0. But the Tigers didn’t back down.
On a corner kick opportunity, Kaitlyn Tucker was in the right place at the right time, rising above the defense and heading the ball into the net to even things at 1-1.
Defensively, Imperial stepped up in the second half. Savannah Melendrez came up with a huge sequence — clearing the ball, blocking a shot, and continuing to battle to keep the Timberwolves from extending their lead.
Goalkeeper Alessandra Gamez also delivered a strong performance between the posts, making multiple key saves, including a highlight stop where she protected the ball in traffic to keep the match tied.
But with 10 minutes remaining, momentum shifted. A turnover in Imperial’s own end led to Scarlett Gemmell capitalizing, lifting a shot over Gamez’s head to give Mission Vista a 2-1 advantage.
Gemmell would add two more late goals to complete the hat trick and seal a 4-1 victory for the Timberwolves, claiming the Division 4 title.
Despite the loss, the Tigers’ season marks the furthest the program has ever advanced. After finishing 7-16 overall and 1-6 in league play last year, Imperial completed a remarkable turnaround.
Head coach Alex Quintero reflected on the journey.
“This is the furthest the high school has ever made it,” Quintero said. “Definitely very happy we were able to get this far. Unfortunately, we wanted to take the trophy home, but you just gotta live and learn and move on.”
Quintero credited his seniors for setting the standard moving forward.
“They really set the bar high for the next generations coming in,” he said. “The girls returning already have the blueprint. Now we just build off it.”
Imperial finishes as CIF Division 4 runner-up, one win shy of reaching state play but with plenty of momentum heading into next season.
