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MFC Benfica fourth at Ghouls & Ghosts
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The Manteca FC Benfica under-9 girls soccer team is comprised of (back row, from left): Coaches Rick Simmons, Frank Cordero and Manuel Pires; (middle) Isabella Pires, Riley Simmons, Makaela Cordero, Sumone Panigada, Isabella Paniaqua and Ariana Scholten; (bottom) Jocelin Roa, Savannah Cordero, Juliana Rodriguez, Isabella Avila, Maddie Iniquez, Cameron Silva and Mariah Alegandrino. - photo by Photo Contributed

Manteca FC Benfica placed fourth in the under-9 girls premier division of the Ghouls & Ghosts Halloween Tournament this past weekend in Livermore.

The team finished second in its group and squared off with tourney host Livermore Fusion SC in the third-place consolation match, where it fell, 3-1. Sumone Panigada scored Manteca FC’s lone goal, with the assist coming from Isabella Paniaqua.

Benfica opened with top-ranked Stockton Storm, which won 4-0. The Storm went on to lose the championship match 2-1 to MVLA SC Barcelona Blue.

Maddie Iniquez struck for the deciding score in Benfica’s 1-0 victory over Inter Rage Academy Dynamite.

Manteca FC capped group play with its most commanding performance, a 3-0 shutout of MVLA (Mountain View/Los Altos) SC Barcelona Black. Isabella Avila, a part-time goalie, was among Benfica’s goal scorers, joining Ariana Scholten and Iniquez. Makaela Cordero, Savannah Cordero and Paniqua each contributed with an assist.