Pleasant Valley Vikings Surge Past Chico Panthers with 3-1 Victory

CHICO — In a remarkable second-half performance, the Pleasant Valley High School boys soccer team overcame an early deficit to defeat cross-town rival Chico High School 3-1 on January 21, 2026. The pivotal player for the Vikings was forward Ben Consoli, who netted two goals shortly after the halftime break, turning the tide of the match at Asgard Yard.

Before the game, Pleasant Valley head coach Donovan Jackson emphasized the need for a game-changing performance. His players delivered, especially in the second half. “Our message at halftime was we’re not out of this game, and we have to be gritty and physical,” Jackson explained. “We made adjustments on how to defend them better, and as we slowed down, we capitalized on their mistakes.”

The first half began with both teams eager to score. Although Pleasant Valley threatened early, Chico goalkeeper Leif Olsen made a crucial save to keep the game scoreless. However, the Panthers struck first when Alejandro Gonzalez found the net in the 36th minute, giving Chico a 1-0 lead. “Ale’s got a great left foot,” noted Chico coach Ryan Flenner. “He made a nice cut and hit it very well.”

Despite the setback, Pleasant Valley maintained composure and entered halftime down by just one goal. The second half saw an energized Vikings team, with Consoli scoring his first goal just four minutes after the break. He took advantage of Olsen being slightly off his line, sending a low shot into the far left corner of the goal.

“It felt pretty good for the team,” Consoli said. “At halftime, we kept saying this game is not over. Last year we lost 4-1 to them, and it felt great to get that goal for my team.”

Just over two minutes later, Consoli struck again, chipping the ball over the rushing goalkeeper to extend the Vikings’ lead to 2-1. With momentum on their side, the Vikings continued to press, and Paxton Quezada scored their third goal in the 64th minute, assisted by Finnley Puritz.

Consoli reflected on the importance of the cushion, stating, “We always got to play until the end of the game, but getting that cushion was really important.”

As the match progressed, Chico attempted to rally back, creating several scoring opportunities in the final minutes. Gonzalez had a near miss that went wide, and the Panthers struggled to convert free kicks into goals. Murphy, the Pleasant Valley goalkeeper, made several key saves, including a diving effort that denied a header from close range.

Flenner acknowledged the challenges faced by Chico in transitioning from defense to offense. “The boys need to learn how to settle into the game,” he said. “It’s only the third game of league season, but it’s a good learning lesson.”

The result leaves Chico with a record of 7-4-1 and places them in second place in the Eastern Athletic League, while Pleasant Valley improves to 10-2-5, maintaining an undefeated league record at 3-0.

Looking ahead, Chico will host Enterprise on January 23 at 19:00, while Pleasant Valley travels to Palo Cedro to face Foothill the same evening. The two rivals will meet again on February 6 at Chico High School for another highly anticipated contest.