Quick start propels Mutiny

A quick start propelled Mutiny to an early lead they never relinquished in defeating the Silver Bullets, 3-1, in an AYSO girls’ Under-12 division match Saturday.

Mutiny, of Region 55, scored two quick goals in the first quarter, and the Silver Bullets of Region 5 couldn’t completely recover.

In the first quarter, Mutiny’s Caroline Fowler and Grace Khoury teamed on a give-and-go sequence that allowed Fowler to post the first goal of the game. Shortly thereafter, halfback Nicole Gonzalez scored to make it 2-0.

The Silver Bullets scored their only game to trim the deficit to 2-1, and the rest of the first half became a defensive battle. Mutiny sweeper Katie Gainous and stopper Kendyl Nowels provided solid up-front coverage for goalie Tana Moore and fullbacks Ariel Thelander, Cassidy Novkov and Jessica Johanscik prevented the Silver Bullets from scoring again.

Mutiny began the second half with shots on goal by forward McKenna Neal and midfielder Simone Corkett that didn’t result in goals, but center-midfielder Dana Conlisk did manage to score from long range to complete the scoring.

In other action:

Under-10 Division

HB United 2, Tigers 1

In a battle between undefeated teams fighting for sole possession of first-place in the division, HB United of Region 55 edged the Tigers of Region 117 at Perry School.

Jocelyn Ceccarelli scored both goals for United, which improved to 5-0. Also contributing to the victory was the play of Katie O’Donnell, Isabella Paz, Sophia Russo, Kayli Minear and Mary Scully on defense and Maggie Frei, Olivia LaCasto and Erin McAndrews, Julia Donegan, Shannon Scully and Sarah Wilkes.

In South Huntington Beach Softball action:

12-and-Under Division

Twilight Zone 7, Who Are You 5

Grace Ritchey brought in the tying run and Emily Stoner drove in the go-ahead and winning runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Twilight Zone overcame Who Are You.

Stoner finished with three hits, overall, and Sam Santopoalo had two hits. Alison Jahansouz, Chanel Luis and Angie Santopoalo also had big hits.

Madi Perez, Nikki Watkins and Emily Richards each had two hits with Watkins hitting a two-run home run in the third inning. Kaura Grande, Raegan Zschach and Rachel Swanson also had hits.

Who Are You 4, Pacific Coast Dyno-Mite 1

Madi Perez and Raegan Zschach combined on a four-hitter and Amanda Nickel hit a two-run double in the fifth inning to push Who Are You to victory.

Chaye Telander also had an RBI single, Zschach and Dana Kerins had a key hit, and Erin Snyder came up big defensively for Who Are You.

Who Are You 7, Gobstoppers 5

Who Are You battled back from a 4-1 deficit to down the Gobstoppers.

Madi Perez and Dana Kerins led Who Are You offensive attack with three hits apiece. Chelsea Dial had two hits, and Jamie Cortez, Raegan Zschach, Emily Richards and Amanda Nickel each had RBI hits. Kaura Grande also had a hit and Kerins and Dial each scored twice.

A smashing, three-run home run by Melanie Coyne, followed by a solo homer by Maddie Moore, helped propel the Gobstoppers to an early lead. Sinead Martin, Risa Burke, Hannah Elder and Janie Weiss also had hits, and Carly Bradford scored the first run of the game for the Gobstoppers.

In gymnastics:

Dwyer Middle School student Lisa Wiktorski, 14, won the All-Around title at Level 9 Region I Championships at Utah Valley State University in Orem, Utah.

With the triumph, Wiktorski will next be a Region 1, Jr. C, Level 9 team representative at the Western Nationals meet on May 11 in Spokane, Wash., in May. She will be one of six athletes to represent the region.

Wiktorski, competing for the New Hope Academy of Gymnastics in Fountain Valley, placed first on bars, second on both beam and floor and was fifth on vault. Her overall score earned her first-place among Jr. C, Level 9 competitors from five Western states. That zone consists of competitors from Southern California, Northern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

Kaylie Higa (fifth, All-Around, Jr. C, Level 9), Molly McFarland (third, All-Around, Jr. B, Level 9), Cheyenne Cox (third, All-Around, Jr. D, Level 9), Taylor Webber (13th, All-Around, Jr. D, Level 9), Alex Leggitt (fifth, All-Around, Sr. D, Level 9), Sara Carlson (second, All-Around, Sr. A, Level 9) and Lena Kardos (fourth, All-Around, Sr. A, Level 9), all of New Hope, also qualified for the Western Nationals.

Rachel Squier didn’t qualify for nationals but turned in her best All-Around score to date.