Murrieta Mesa Rams’ offense silenced by Goluskin as Norco gets revenge for 2022 quarterfinal softball loss

Derryl Trujillo

Sports Writer

NORCO – About an hour before first pitch in their Thursday, May 11, CIF-SS Division 1 semifinal softball game, Norco coach Rick Robinson was full of praise for the Murrieta Mesa offense, saying they had one of the top lineups in Southern California.

Marley Goluskin was tasked with shutting that lineup down after struggling against the Rams 366 days ago in a 12-8 loss. In the rematch she was brilliant, holding Murrieta Mesa (24-4-1) to just three hits while striking out four and allowing one run. Meanwhile, at the plate, Alyssa Hovermale and Mya Perez each hit two run home runs to lead Norco’s (28-3) offense in an 8-1 victory which sends the Cougars to their ninth final in 20 years Saturday, May 20, at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.

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“With that Mesa lineup, no lead is safe, and they force you to remain locked in until out 21,” Goluskin said. “I didn’t throw a great game against them last year and I wasn’t going to let that happen again. We are all really excited to get back to championship weekend and it can’t get here fast enough.”

Matti Severns reached on an error and scored when Hovermale took a pitch from Rams starter Caylea Rains-Campbell and drove it over the wall in left field for a two-run homer. After a walk to Riley Potter and a single from Maddy Aguilera, the Rams escaped further harm when Katie Terrazas grounded out.

Norco scored another pair of runs in the fourth inning as Tamryn Shorter and Dakota Potter each came through with RBI singles to stretch the lead to 4-0.

“Marley threw probably her best game of the year today and held a really good lineup in check,” Robinson said. “We’ve had some bumps in the road this year, but they’ve done a really good job of coming together as a team to get back to the biggest stage in Southern Section softball.”

Another RBI single from Hovermale chased Rains-Campbell and gave the Cougars a 5-0 lead in the fifth with one out. Lily Hauser came on in relief and walked Aguilera with the bases loaded to make it 6-0 Cougars after five innings.

Mikaylah Jones led off the Rams’ sixth inning with a single down the left field line and came around to score on an RBI single from Jasmyn Burns before Goluskin got a groundout to escape with a 6-1 lead.

Mya Perez then hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to left center field which gave Norco the 8-1 lead which they’d prevail by.

“I still believe we’re the better team, but we just didn’t show it today,” Rams coach Antonio Romero said. “Tip your hat to

FINALS from page C-1

11: Quarterfinals: Crean Lutheran - 8, Tahquitz - 3 (As mentioned in this issue’s Derryl Trujillo story, Crean Lutheran was removed from playoffs for a batting practice violation); Saturday, May 13:

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Semifinals: Ganesha - 15, Tahquitz

– 3. Other Playoff notes include: Boys Lacrosse Playoffs , no local teams remaining. Girls Lacrosse Playoffs , no local teams remaining. Scores from last week include: Division 2 - Wednesday, May 10:

Semifinals: Crescenta Valley13, Murrieta Mesa - 11; Division

3 - Quarterfinals: Portolo - 17, Heritage - 4; Chaparral - 15, Orange Lutheran – 5; SemifinalsMonday, May 8: Huntington Beach - 9, Chaparral – 8.

Boys Tennis Playoffs Division 5 - QuarterfinalsMonday, May 8: Whittier - 15,

Hemet - 3

Swimming and Diving

Murrieta Mesa’s Sonja Aarsvold advanced to her championship race with strong performances Friday, May 12, during the preliminaries portion of the CIF State swimming and diving championship meet at Clovis West High School in Fresno.

Aarsvold, a senior, also made the A final in the girls 100 freestyle, as she qualified fifth with a time of 50.69.

Aarsvold was also in the B final of the 200m-freestyle after qualifying 11th (1:50.67). Lakkeside junior

Max Reis-Trovillion placed eighth (511.70 points) in the boys diving final held Thursday. Track and Field Orange Vista’s Kailah McKenzie

Huntington Beach Tuesday, May 9, in the CIF-SS Division 1

Norco because they did a great job of executing with runners in scoring position today and I wish them well in the final.”

WP: Goluskin, Marley CG, 3 hits, 1 run, 4 Ks, 2 BBs

LP: Rains-Campbell, Caylea 4+

IP, 6 runs, 6 hits, 1 BB

Leading Hitters: Jones (Mesa) 2-3, Hovermale (Norco) 2-3 with a walk and three runs batted in Home Runs: Hovermale and Perez (Norco)

Other scores involving Valley News area teams

Division 2

Tesoro – 2, Vista Murrieta – 1 (8 innings)

Great Oak – 3, California – 0 Miali Guachino threw a complete game shutout with 12 strikeouts and allowed just three hits. She also provided the game’s only scoring with a three-run homer in the sixth inning. The Wolfpack hosted number one seed Moorpark on Saturday, May 13, in a semifinal game, where they blanked the Musketeers, 7-0. Great Oak will move on to face Grand Terrace in

12-11 win successfully defended her Division 1 girls 100-meter hurdles title when she matched her personal-best time of 14.03 seconds. McKenzie also claimed the Division 1 high jump crown with a mark of 5 feet, 6 inches. McKenzie won that title on a tiebreaker over Makena Bailey of Chino Hills, who also went 5-6.

The Great Oak boys track and field team brought home the Division 1 runner-up plaque, Which came down to the final event. Austin Pepito finished third in the pole vault, giving his team six additional points. The Wolfpack (40 points) went from fourth to second with that result, leapfrogging both Jordan (37) and Vista Murrieta (35).

Vista Murrieta’s Aspen Fears won the Division 1 girls pole vault title for the second straight season. Fears went 12-9 and won a tiebreaker over three others, including Murrieta Valley’s Madisyn Negro and Great Oak’s Shayna Hinds.

Great Oak’s Gabriel Rodriguez won the Division 1 title in the boys 1600 meters with a PR of 4:13.15. He edged out teammate Westin Brown (4:13.24) at the line.

Murrieta Valley’s Taylor Anyansi captured the championship in the Division 1 girls 100 meters in a personal-best time of 11.83.

Claremont’s L’Mio Edwards turned in a personal best to win the Division 1 girls 800 meters (2:09.45).

Elsinore’s Daj’Eauna Williams claimed the Division 1 title in the girls triple jump with a PR of 40-1.25.

Boys Golf Central individual regionals at

Division 5 Liberty – 12, Paraclete – 6

Down to their last six outs in Lancaster, the Bison exploded for 12 runs and rallied to reach Saturday’s semifinal. They then played third-seeded Northwood of Irvine Saturday, May 13, in another road game, which they won 6-3. Liberty will face Irvine in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 finals (Time and date still TBA, as of the time this article went to print).

Division 7

Crean Lutheran – 8, Tahquitz – 3

High School. Valley News/Courtesy photo the CIF Southern Section Division 2 finals (Time and date still TBA, as of the time this article went to print).

*Despite the loss, Tahquitz now advances due to a CIF-SS violation on Crean Lutheran, where they were reported to have broken Bylaw 2713.2, which has to do with soft toss batting practice in front of a batter during warmups. The CIF-SS offices sent out a statement Friday, May 12, at 10 a.m. The Titans moved on to face Ganesha High School, in a road game Saturday, May 13, but fell to the Giants, 15-3. Derryl Trujillo can be reached at socaltrekkie@gmail.com . Article contributions made by Valley News Sports Editor, JP Raineri.

Bear Creek Golf Course begin

Monday, May 8. Girls Beach Volleyball Playoffs

The girls beach volleyball playoffs concluded Saturday, May 6 at Long Beach City College. No local teams were in the postseason. Boys Volleyball Playoffs, no local teams remain.

Valley News/Gary Evans

Murrieta Mesa’s Victoria Prado (16), Taelyn Holley (27) and Kaylee Oh (13) look on during a pitching change during their CIF Division 1 semi-final game at Norco. The Cougars defeated the Rams 8-1 to advance to the championship game against Garden Grove Pacifica.

If there are any changes in times, dates, or sites please email either Derryl at socaltrekkie@gmail.com or JP at sports@reedermedia.com with corrected information. Track and Field contributions made by Action Captures Media Group.