The Santa Barbara Adrenaline captured the girls under-12 title at the Pot O’ Gold Tournament in Thousand Oaks. (Photo by Sarah Dammann Thomas)
Adrenaline, a Santa Barbara AYSO under-12 girls soccer team, won a drama-filled championship match against Castaic in a penalty-kick shootout at the Pot O’ Gold Tournament in Thousand Oaks.
Adrenaline stormed back from a 2-0 deficit in regulation time and rallied from one goal down in the second overtime period to force the shootout.
Lily Purvis tied the score at 2-2 in the second overtime, lofting a high-arcing ball over the Castaic goalkeeper with one minute left.
In the penalty-kick shootout, Katherine Juarez, Katie Berris and Isabella Larkins converted their spot kicks and Adrenaline goalkeeper Hanady Shaqur provided a crucial block of a Castaic kick. When the final try by Castaic soared over the goal, the crowd and the Santa Barbara girls erupted in a celebration worthy of a World Cup win.
“The girls played with so much heart,” Adrenaline coach Hoss Shaqur said. “They never gave up even when they had to come from behind three separate times. This is truly a special team. I’m proud of every one of them.”
Adrenaline team members include Bianca Ortiz, Isabella Larkins, Emma Grabenstetter, Maddie Thomas, Jordan Klanfer, Zia Katsapetses, Katie Berris, Lily Purvis, Katherine Juarez, Hanady Shaqur, and Visha Pigatti. The team is coached by Hoss Shaqur with assistant coach Michael Purvis and team manager Kim Katsapetses.
