Lady Tigers Clinch TCC Title

Inderkum seniors were celebrated at April 29 soccer match against neighborhood rival Natomas High. / Photo: T. Horn

BY TREVOR HORN
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz

All Inderkum needed to do was win and the league title was wrapped up.

The Lady Tigers girls’ soccer team went to work early Monday beating rival Natomas High 5-2 at home to secure a second consecutive Tri-County Conference title.

And winning the title in front of more than 500 fans on Senior Night was that much more enjoyable for the team’s 13 graduating players.

“Going into senior night, to have a chance to do that, is awesome,” Inderkum coach Steven Freitas said. “It’s a special group.”

Senior Danielle McCarthy scored two goals for Inderkum (13-4-4 overall, 7-0-2 TCC) and senior goalkeeper Cierra Quintana yielded just one goal in the first half.

“It feels good knowing that the team comes together and we can celebrate at the end like this,” Quintana said. “It’s a pretty amazing friendship and bond we all have. Like a little family.”

Junior Hailey Maxwell got Inderkum on the board in the sixth minute of play with a goal from about 30 yards out that sailed over Natomas goalkeeper Michelle Villalobos’ outstretched arms for a 1-0 Inderkum lead.

“I didn’t think it would go in,” Maxwell said. “(The ball) just went really high in the air.”

Maxwell doubles as a replacement kicker for Inderkum’s football team in the fall, and Freitas said he instructed Maxwell prior to the game to utilize the strength of her leg. Maxwell scored on a similar kick in the second half.

“That’s her range and that’s where she’s special,” Freitas said. “She gets a lot of space in that area. We’ve talked about that all year that she’s got to be greedy there and have it. And (Monday) she saw the reward for that.”

After McCarthy’s first goal of the night gave Inderkum a 2-0 lead in the first half, Natomas High sophomore Evelyn Cordero scored for the Lady Nighthawks to make it 2-1 with 12 minutes left in the first half.

Inderkum took a 3-1 lead into halftime on a goal by freshman Rachell Realador with just over two minutes before intermission. Realador was called up from the junior varsity team prior to the game.

The goal came about because the ball got away from Villalobos near the goal and Realador stayed with the ball and kicked the ball in for the score.

“That’s what’s awesome is she just doesn’t know any better,” Freitas said. “That’s one that an experienced player probably goes “Oh, the keepers got it.’ She just plays hard and finds an opportunity and tucks it away with composure.”

Natomas (7-7-4, 2-3-4) was eliminated from the playoffs.

Sac Joaquin Section Division III girls’ soccer playoffs begin May 7 and will be played at the home site of the highest seeds.

Inderkum will get a home game with the league title and most likely will be the No. 2 seed behind Rio American High School. The Raiders are the No. 1 ranked team in the state, according to MaxPreps.com.

The rankings don’t seem to spoil the confidence of Quintana and the Lady Tigers.

“We have to win section,” Quintana said. “This year we will take (the) championship.”

Tigers Baseball Defeats Nighthawks, 15-2

Coming off an impressive win on Friday against Pioneer High School, the Inderkum baseball team defeated Natomas High 14-2 at Natomas on Monday.

Inderkum (13-12, 4-9) scored six runs in the second inning and four in the fourth to finish the game off in five innings. Junior Emilo Ponce went 3-for-3, scored two runs and had three RBI from the eight-hole in the lineup.

“It felt fine to do it,” Ponce said. “It feels to get on base finally.”

Marc Higgins also had a multi-hit game for Inderkum with two singles after coming into the game in the fourth inning. Eleven Inderkum batters got hits as Austin Thurman, Kishon Williams and Higgins all had two RBI.

Senior Ricky Gonzalez scored both runs for Natomas High (2-17, 0-13). The two runs marks the first time the Nighthawks have scored more than one run in TCC games.

Gonzalez scored on an Inderkum error in the fourth inning and off an RBI double by Eduardo Rodriguez in the fifth inning.

“We loaded up the bases on some good at bats,” Natomas High coach Ben Glidewell said. “We are a young team.”

The two teams will play again at Inderkum 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Call in scores or give story ideas to Trevor Horn at [email protected] or call at (916) 390-8593. Follow Trevor on Twitter @trevhorn.