HARBOR CITY - The tradition continues.

In many ways, the San Pedro High girls soccer team knows they have to go through Narbonne of Harbor City in order to win, or for the 11th straight season, defend a Marine League championship. This time, the host Gauchos were primed and ready to make things not so smoothly as it was back on January 20 at San Pedro. 

San Pedro had to overcome a scoreless first half where Narbonne gave them their best shot, but the Pirates would finally explode with a midway burst in the second half win 2-0 over the Gauchos to claim their customary Marine League championship. In this case, it's San Pedro's 11th consecutive league crown, and their 15th in 16 years.

Not only that, the Pirates (16-2-2 overall, 8-0 league) have won 14 games in a row and have not tasted defeat since a 3-0 loss to West Torrance back on December 16th.

"The girls fought hard, left it all on the field and I'm so proud of them," San Pedro co-coach Chatelaine Ansaldi said. "We take it one game at a time."

Even so, there were still some caution on the Pirates' side, which there always is when dealing with Narbonne.

"Going into the game we were very anxious and knew we had to leave everything on the field," San Pedro senior defender Paige Kielbasa said. "Our team, and especially our defense knew Narbonne was going to bring it so we had to play our hardest to defend our title."

It was the usual physical battle San Pedro would have to overcome against a gritty Narbonne (9-6-1, 6-2) team who didn't allow the Pirates a goal in the first half, the first time any team in the Marine League didn't give up a goal to the Pirates in the opening 40 minutes, but somehow, San Pedro would find an answer. It came in the form of unsung sophomore midfielder/defender Angelina Camello.

Senior midfielder Rianni Gonzales blasted a long pass that bounced high. Camello chased it down and somehow controlled it, then tapped it in past Narbonne goalie Brittany Plunkett for a 1-0 San Pedro lead in the 64th minute for her first goal of the season.

"It was a great through ball from Rianni, and I ran as fast as I could to score that goal," Camello said. "Overall our team played an awesome game. I couldn't have done it without them."

Camello's goal could not have come at a better moment, as it galvanized the jubilant Pirates, and in the case of the hard-working defenders, it was a goal they desperately needed for a breather. "Once Angelina scored I felt relieved that we were finally on the scoreboard," San Pedro senior defender Paige Kielbasa said. "And that really set the rest of the game in motion for us."

The Pirates were not done.

Shortly after Camello's game-breaking goal, the Pirates managed a corner kick situation when junior midfielder Maddie Villela was taken down from behind by a Narbonne defender. Sophomore midfielder Mia Lecesse's free kick was perfect for junior forward Ryann Lozano, who delivered a head-butt shot to guide it past Plunkett into the left side of the net for a 2-0 Pirate advantage.

"Every time we take a corner kick, our coaches say, 'finish the play'," Kielbasa said. "That's exactly what Ryann did for us. I'm always confident that she could get a head on the ball and score a goal."

Narbonne hardly got legitimate scoring chances in the second half but still managed three direct kicks in the closing minutes, but junior Maddy Luna, filling in for her injured sophomore sister Carlene Luna at goalie, would control and save all three of them. San Pedro junior midfielder Sydney Engel got yellow-carded for being too aggressive in the 76th minute, but even that wasn't enough as the Gauchos couldn't get a shot off before the final whistle blew.

San Pedro briefly celebrated the victory but acknowledged the fact that they still have unfinished business in pursuit of their first CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division I championship.

Still, winning eleven straight league championships feel good for this stellar group of Pirates.

"It's one of the best feelings in the world that I get to graduate from San Pedro High School as a four-time Marine League champion," Kielbasa said. "I'm very proud of my team and hope our hard work pays off in playoffs."

The last and only time the Pirates didn't win the Marine League was 2005, when they lost the crown by a half game to Narbonne. San Pedro will likely finish league play without a loss or tie for the first time since 2011 when they host both Washington Prep and Gardena next week.