With time running out, both girls soccer teams from The Branson School and Tam High were staring at potential ties that would have damaged their chances of finishing inside the top four and earning at least one home game in next week’s MCAL playoffs.

Lauren Willard scored from a tight angle in the 78th minute to lift Tam to a 2-1 win over Archie Williams. Luna Diaz scored in stoppage time for Branson then assisted on an insurance goal in a 2-0 victory against Terra Linda.

As a result, both Tam (11-4-5, 5-1-1 MCAL) and Branson (16-3-2, 5-2-1) will host playoff games next week. Tam (16 points) sits second with a game in hand over Branson (16 points) and keeps the pressure on idle Redwood (17 points) in the title race.

Redwood can clinch the title with a win against Archie Williams on Wednesday. Tam and Marin Catholic (15 points) close the season against each other with the winner of that game in position to take the title should Redwood slip up. Branson has a bye on Wednesday and will finish in third or fourth.

Tam’s first goal came in the 30th minute from Madeline Michelson following a corner by Willard, who set a new single-round record for assists in a season with her seventh. Michelson returned the favor on a throw-in to Willard, who turned and fired home the winner against the Peregrine Falcons (5-4-4, 3-3-1).

Diaz netted for Branson in the 81st minute, assisted by Sophia Duran. Diaz then set up Catrin Howell to make it 2-0 in the 83rd minute against TL (8-5-3, 3-3-1).

• Sloane Carey had a hat trick plus an assist to lead MC to an 8-0 victory against Novato (0-13-0, 0-7-0). The Wildcats (11-4-2, 5-2-0) also got goals from Ellie Seymore, Nora Snearly, Alina Franchetti, Molly Stewart, and Catlin Haynor. Assists came from Kate Batdorf, Siena White, Snearly, Savannah Browne, Lucy Gonzalez, Stewart, and Ava Korich. Carey doubled her scoring output for the league campaign, bringing her total to six.

• Darby Fones scored twice to help San Rafael move up to seventh in the standings following a 3-2 win against San Marin on Monday night. Jaela Brown also scored the the Bulldogs (11-7-0, 2-5-0). The loss prevented the Mustangs (2-9-2, 0-5-2) from becoming eligible for the section playoffs based on their record in Division III. Gianna Grasso had a goal for San Marin.

Girls wrestling

Archie Williams’ Sofia De Jesus placed second at the Goddess of the Vine tournament, hosted by Clayton Valley High on Saturday. De Jesus pinned three North Coast Section wrestlers en route to the final. De Jesus is now 22-4 on the season with 20 pins and two technical falls.

Track

San Rafael’s Ellie McCuskey-Hay won three events to pace the Marin Waves Track Club at the Pacific Association Indoor Track & Field Championships in Reno, Nev. on Saturday.

McCuskey-Hay (Girls High School) won the 60 meters (7.56 seconds), the 200 (24.69), and the long jump (18 feet, 8 inches), setting indoor personal bests across the board. McCuskey-Hay also placed sixth in the 400 (59.30) to medal in all four events.

Grace Bramble (Girls High School) brought home a medal after placing sixth in the triple jump (31’0.75’). Bramble also took seventh in the long jump (14’11.5’).

Indeya Sanders competed in three events, placing 13th in the 60 meters, 19th in the 200, and 11th in the 400.