After a 12-day layoff, the Pierce Bears boys’ soccer team returned to the pitch at home Jan. 24, posting a 6-1 victory over Willows, then followed up by forcing a 3-3 tie with the visiting Colusa RedHawks on Jan. 27.
Manuel Corona recorded the brace to lead the Bears’ rout of the Honkers, while Will Arens, Stevan Mendoza, and Fernando Valencia scored one goal apiece in the Sacramento Valley League match.
The more impressive effort came against the RedHawks, as the Bears matched their county and SVL rival goal for goal.
Eric Ambriz scored once in the first half, then added another in the second to help keep pace with Colusa, before Emiliano Garcia booted the equalizer in the game’s final minutes.
Credit also goes to first year head coach Daniel Ambriz, a 2008 Pierce graduate that played on Pierce’s last section-winning soccer team, and has this current squad showing improvement each time they take the field.
On the other hand, it was a disappointing result for Colusa, who despite getting goals from Charlie Santana, Francisco Hernandez, and Kevin Sarabia, let multiple opportunities for more get away.
With the playoffs just around the corner, Colusa (6-7-2, 3-2) stands fifth in the SVL and has a tough task with matches against Live Oak and Winters this week, while Pierce (3-3-1, 1-3-1) is seventh and faces the same two teams. ■