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In what was the second year of a rebuild with head coach James Pierce at the helm, the Woodland High School girls soccer team focused on achievable goals and internal improvement.
That refined focus earned them better results than the previous year, as they finished the 2023/24 season with a 6-8-1 overall record, going 5-6-1 in the competitive Golden Empire League and finishing in fourth place.
“It was still the second year of the rebuild, but I think the younger players showed real progress,” Pierce proclaimed. “I thought the season went well. I think the part for us to overcome is to have better results earlier in the season. If you look at the arc of our year, we had some sound defeats early and then only one-goal losses or ties later. If we can convert some of those bad losses to ties or wins early, it can change the season.”
Unfortunately, they fell one spot short of a playoff berth in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs. Despite the lack of a post-season, the GEL coaches still noticed the Wolves’ improvement and rewarded the program with five first or second-team all-league selections and the overall league offensive MVP in Cassie Vannucci-Mounce.
While a winning record may not have been there, the talent sure was. Like Vannucci-Mounce, junior Kayla Canchola and senior Brooklyn Johnson earned first-team GEL recognition, while sophomores Aurora Anchondo-Craig and Mille Prado took home second-team nods. Vannucci-Mounce also earned a Yolo Federal first-team “all-area” honors, while Anchondo-Craig and Canchola earned second-team placements.
Vannucci-Mounce took over games from the midfield for the Wolves really shinning in league play. Pierce mentiones that due to her high soccer IQ, versatility and sheer talent, he could line her up in all three midfield positions, including the 10, 8 and 6 roles.
“I’m just super proud of her for earning the MVP distinction,” Pierce said. “The interesting part is that all the coaches get to vote, so for her to get that acknowledgment from six teams ‘coaches is huge.”
Pierce mentiones that Vannucci-Mounce led the way for her club soccer team as they earned a promotion in the National Premier League. She also made the 30-member player pool for Cal North Soccer’s Olympic Development Program and was selected to the travel roster for the Western Regional Championship squad.
“You then add her success for us, it just caps off a great stretch for her,” Pierce said. “Next year will be her senior year. I hope it’s a great year for her. There is nothing to suggest it won’t be.”
Fellow attacking mate and forward Kayla Canchola developed a fantastic connection with Vannucci-Mounce on her way to her first-team selection. After two years on the Pioneer High School varsity team, Canchola enjoyed a breakout season.
“She was a huge part of the team’s success and worked so well with Cassie,” Pierce recalled. “I was very impressed. She has tremendous speed and her soccer IQ is very high. She has a lot of potential to go further if she wants to play after high school. She has the size, speed, and heart, so I hope that’s something she explores.”
Departing senior Brooklyn Johnson was a vocal and physical leader for the Wolves as a center back and was properly recognized with a first-team nod.
“Her play on the field was really great,” Pierce recalled. “She had the toughest assignments from her position. She is very consistent and reliable and has tremendous physical and mental stamina. Players either have that mental stamina, or they don’t, but she does. Her leadership as a person is also great. She acted as a captain from a communication and organization standpoint.”
Rounding out, the award winners for the Wolves were sophomores Anchondo-Craig and Prado.
Anchondo-Craig served as the engine for the Wolves midfield.
“The most impressive thing about her game was her work rate and work ethic,” Pierce said. “She really wants to succeed on the field. She never quits and had really high standards for herself. She also has some real speed and it will really serve her well. She has a really bright future in soccer.”
Prado lined up alongside Johnson in the heart of the Wolves defense and imposed her will on teams with her physicality.
“She had a lot of physical gifts,” Pierce said. Her physicality and bravery are her best qualities. She put up with some rough play and was super durable for us. She has an extraordinary free kick that helped us out a lot as well.”
Both Prado and Anchanco-Craig are expected to play a more significant role next season.
Players who won’t play a role for the Wolves are the other departing seniors, including Yasmin Michel-Villa, Baleria Leon, Alice Corbari and Hannah Carvere.
“Leon was a fantastic surprise,” Pierce said. “She really contributed a lot. I wish I had had her for 2-3 more years because she definitely contributed and had a great work ethic. Hannah was an experienced player and battled through some illness. She brought a really good cooperative vibe to the group and did whatever was asked of her.
“Alice had a lovely personality and was so fun to be around. Before this season, she was a non-soccer player, but she learned so fast. She was tremendously athletic, speedy, and courageous. Michel-Villa was an experienced player who had not been on the team the previous year but had a lot to offer. She was a really good decision-maker and made some strong kicks. She was purposeful in her play and was committed to the team. All of them came along out of the blue and added an experience that was really impactful.”
While junior defender and goalkeeper Luciana Pimentel and Crystal Flores didnt receive any league awards, Pierce mentions they had fantastic seasons and is excited to bring them back next year.
Pierce added, “Luci deserves a huge amount of credit. She brings a lot of experience and talent to WHS, and will likely lead the defense next year. She comes from a soccer family and has a bright future in the sport.”
“I’m excited for the returners,” Pierce said. “Crystal Flores, our keeper, will play some club soccer and Luciana Pimentel will, too, to be even better next year. We were limited in the number of girls that could be recognized but Luci was right there with Aurora and Mille.”
As a non-Woodland Joint Unified School District employee, Pierce isn’t guaranteed to coach the Wolves next year. If Pierce returns next season, however, he has some clear-cut goals for year three of his rebuilding.
“My goal for next year is to make the playoffs,” he said. “We have just missed the previous two years, so that is the next metric we need to achieve. I have a good degree of confidence that we can do it. There are also some freshmen who played for the junior varsity team that have showed real promise as well.”
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