Both the varsity soccer boys and girls took shutout losses in Trans-Valley League play this week. The JV boys came away with a win, as did the JV girls.

All the games were played on Friday, Jan. 5.

The Escalon boys hosted Riverbank and the varsity boys fell by a 5-0 final to the visiting Bruins.

“It was 1-0 at the half, they scored with five minutes left in the first,” said head coach Paul Silva. “We played pretty well in the first half, had a few good chances to score.”

A couple of injuries in the second half made it tough for the Cougars.

“That put us in a situation where guys were playing in positions they normally don’t play and we got punished for it,” Silva admitted. “Not how we wanted to start league.”

However, he is hoping the Cougars get healthy and have a better outcome this week.

The varsity girls, with head coach Jeremy Titsworth at the helm, fell by a 1-0 final to host Riverbank. The game was moved to the Mary Grogan Community Park sports complex in Modesto due to bad field conditions at Riverbank.

The JV boys, under coach Polo Rodriguez, crafted a 1-0 win on Friday at home.

“We were up 1-0 at the half and 10 minutes into the second half we got red carded but the boys stepped up and pulled through for the win,” Rodriguez said of finishing the game down a player.

Yair Valerio had the goal and the JV squad also had a “great couple crucial saves” from keeper Kevin Silva.

The JV girls, with head coach Lindsay Plascencia, earned a 3-0 shutout win at Riverbank.

“Two goals came from Rebecca Wampler and one from Emma Rangel,” said the coach. “We still have a lot to learn and there is a lot for us to work on.”

The JV girls had 20 shots on goal and converted just three, so they will focus on that aspect of the game, Plascencia said. They were tight on defense, though, as Riverbank only got the ball toward the Escalon net two times in the contest.