Upstart Del Oro takes down top-seeded St. Francis to win Division II section soccer crown

The Del Oro Golden Eagles started off slow Wednesday night at Cosumnes River College.

The soccer team from Loomis was not able to gain possession of the ball for the game’s first 10 minutes against the stout defense of top-seeded St. Francis in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship match. That changed when junior forward Kiana Faucette received a ball down the middle of the field, sprinted past the Troubadours’ defense and slotted the ball low into the left corner to give the fourth-seeded Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute.

That score held up as the Golden Eagles won their first championship since 2014 after goalkeeper Gray Wilson made a number of key saves in the second half to seal it, and then the celebration was on.

This was the first loss of the season for St. Francis, which came in at 18-0-4.

Del Oro coach Megan Harris said team spirit is what propelled the group against such a strong opponent. She could not identify one star player before the game, saying “they are all stars.”

“The bond that these girls have built is like a family,” Harris said. “We had a team dinner last night and they are just a great group of girls. They just constantly work for each other and for this town.”

The coach said winning a championship at a school known to win a lot of them in sports across the board means everything to the program. Del Oro is 10-5-5 and went 4-3-3 in the rugged Sierra Foothill League, placing third behind Rocklin and Oak Ridge.

“It’s a huge win,” the coach said. “To beat a team like St Francis that is such a powerhouse is a massive accomplishment for this school.”

Harris is in her second season at Del Oro and expects the good times to continue. Wilson, the goalkeeper, said winning the title was all part of the plan.

“I remember on the first day of practice, coach said that we were going to win sections this year,” Wilson said, “It feels pretty amazing actually to come out and win with this great group of girls. We have never won a title before (with this group) so it really is super exciting.”

Wilson is a clear standout. She also plays at a high level in club soccer while also maintaining a 3.9 grade-point average. Just a junior, Wilson has already committed to the University of Miami to play goalkeeper on scholarship.

Despite St. Francis being in an attacking position for a significant portion of the game, defenders Alli Johansen, Megan Matthews, Brooklyn Tanon and Kimora Ortiz helped Wilson hold a clean sheet. Del Oro did register a good amount of possessions in the second half thanks to starting midfielders Dakota Harris, Marley Marin and Izzy Scott. Up front, Ella Hyde and Haeden Doria assisted in Faucette’s lone goal.

The Golden Eagles now advance to the CIF Northern California regional playoffs starting next week. St Francis, coached by veteran soccer mind Maryclaire Robinson, finished the season as co-champions of the Delta League with Davis.