The562’s middle school sports coverage is sponsored by the Long Beach Century Club.
The Robinson Dolphins faced off in an intense match versus the Franklin Wildcats for the Long Beach Division III Middle School Girls’ Soccer Championship. The two teams clashed, going down to the wire and concluding with a heated penalty shootout, where Franklin secured the win in dramatic fashion.
The match began with Franklin domination, as they out-possessed the Dolphins and came out to a quick 2-0 lead with the help of major contributions from Zoe Benefield, Keira Benefield and Juliet Munoz. All of the players’ offensive potency and chemistry constantly generated great opportunities for themselves and their fellow Wildcats.
While Robinson was primarily on the back foot for the beginning of the first half, they clawed themselves back into control through sheer willpower, evening out the tides of the game. It was Jayla Holt who was a crucial spark to Robinson’s fight, and she concluded the match with both of the Dolphins’ goals.
Robinson netted a goal a little before halftime, but neither team felt comfortable with their position going into the second half.
Similar to the first half, Robinson started slow in the second, allowing Franklin to get many early opportunities before the Dolphins found their own footing. However, the Wildcats were unable to capitalize on these chances, letting the Dolphins slowly work themselves into proper pace.
Both teams remained scoreless the entire half until Robinson’s Holt was able to slot a clutch shot in the bottom right, tying the game up for her team.
With this tie score, the game went to overtime – first goal wins. Both teams were desperate to score as players sprinted to balls and put everything on the line for their teams. The crowd fueled the match ferociously with their cheers.
Franklin’s Zoe Benefield put her talent on full display, being a major contributor in this game, despite being just a 6th grader.
“It feels really good to be that important on a team of all eighth graders and seventh graders, so I’m really happy,” Zoe Benefield said.
Overtime concluded with neither team being able to score, showing the passionate defense these two schools possessed with the title on the line. The match then went into an intense penalty shootout, where, after lots of back and forth, Franklin’s Leah Muñoz was able to save a shot off the crossbar, ultimately winning her team the championship.
Franklin’s Keira Benefield was a major leader in the Wildcat victory. Keira Benefield said the championship title was a reward after her own offensive domination and her team’s hard work throughout the season.
“I started crying after the game…I’m proud of all of us,” Keira Benefield said. “I’m really glad that we won, it feels like a dream come true.”
