Cougars Strike Early, Shut Out Madera 3-0
| 1st Half | 2nd Half | T | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAF | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| MAD | 0 | 0 | 0 |
TAFT, Calif. - Josue Chavez scored the game-winner in the eighth minute, and Taft College added two more first-half goals Tuesday to secure a 3-0 victory over Madera. The Cougars produced all of their offense in the opening 30 minutes before completing a dominant defensive performance that held Madera without a shot.
Chavez put Taft ahead 1-0 by finishing a chance created by Ian Menjivar. The early connection immediately placed Madera under pressure and gave Chavez his first goal and first game-winning goal of the match. Christopher Guerrero doubled the advantage just seven minutes later, scoring in the 15th minute to give the Cougars a quick two-goal cushion.
Menjivar moved from provider to scorer in the 30th minute. Jacob Cooke-Ruiz supplied the assist, and Menjivar converted to send Taft into halftime with a 3-0 lead. Menjivar finished with a goal and an assist, contributing directly to two of the Cougars' three goals, while Cooke-Ruiz recorded Taft's second assist of the match.
Taft took 10 shots overall and protected its lead throughout the second half. The Cougars' defensive work prevented Madera from registering a shot over the full 90 minutes, allowing the goalkeeping tandem of Aslan Chong and Ara Ounjian to complete a combined shutout without needing to make a save. Chong handled the first 45 minutes, and Ounjian played the second half as Taft recorded its clean sheet.
The Cougars finished with three goals and two assists while receiving scoring contributions from Chavez, Guerrero and Menjivar. Taft will next travel to face Fresno City at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.
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