Saturday, March 8, 2008
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
All championship final results
DIVISION I
Santa Monica 2, Poway 1 (OT)
Santa Monica showed what a Southern Section Division IV team is made of.
The Vikings have been nationally ranked on various polls all season long, but
some in California have questioned their legitimacy because of the division
they play in.
Santa Monica, likely, quieted some its doubters Saturday when it captured the
inaugural Division I Southern California Regional title. Juan Magana scored
the game-winning, and game-ending, goal as the Vikings beat Poway, the San
Diego Section Division I champion, 2-1, in sudden death overtime at Warren
High. The goal went in five minutes before the match would have gone to
penalty kicks.
Magana, a junior, hurt his shoulder during the celebration, but didn't seem to
concern with it.
"It's worth it," Magana said of the pain. "This makes my top
three list" of best things that's ever happened.
Santa Monica (29-0-1), which scored 110 goals and only allowed 16 this season,
is in contention to win two mythical national championships. Coming into
Saturday the Vikings were ranked No. 2 by StudentSportsSoccer.com and No. 4 by
the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
This season has been "a dream come true for all of us," said Loyola
Marymount-bound Artur Jozkowicz, who got his 24 assist of the season during
the game. "Our goal was CIF, but state? It's an amazing feeling."
Jozkowicz, who also scored 14 goals, set up junior Ricky Martinez in the 47th
minute to give Santa Monica the early lead. The Titans (27-3-2) came right
back, though, and tied it two minutes later.
The game stayed that way until 10 minutes into overtime when Magana, after a
Poway defender failed to clear the ball, took a shot on goal. Poway goalkeeper
Eric Weinberg began to go to his right, but the ball hit a Poway defender and
changed directions and went into the net.
"Unlucky deflection," Weinberg, a senior, called the play. "I
think we could have won this game. They were a great team, but we were
step-for-step with them."
Santa Monica Coach Jimmy Chapman said Poway was, by far, the toughest team
they faced all season long.
"Hats off to Poway, but it really came down to heart," said Chapman,
who got doused with Gatorade by the players. "I don't doubt Santa Monica
has heart, but our boys have been consistent and played as one all season
long."
Santa Monica Soccer Director Frank Gatell, who shares coaching duties with
Chapman, said the movie industry should call him about making a movie.
"There's so many stories with this team that, honestly, Hollywood should
call me up just to buy the rights," he said.
In Division III, Salesian bounced back from a disappointing semifinals loss in
the Southern Section playoffs to win the Southern California Regional
championship.
Chris Chavez gave Salesian (19-1-2) an early lead and then the Mustangs scored
two more times late in the match to beat Avenal of the Central Section, 3-0.
The game was 1-0 until Diego Hernandez and Brian Beltran added goals in the
67th and 74th minutes, respectively. Losing to Oaks Christian in the Division
V semifinals "motivated us more to win this," Chavez said.
"Besides, this is better than [than winning Southern Section]. Bigger
ring."
The Mustangs (21-1) were riding a 32-game unbeaten streak when it lost to Oaks
Christian, 4-3, two weeks ago. Oaks Christian went on to win the division
championship, but lost in the first round of the regional.
Even though he didn't score a goal, someone that terrorized Avenal's defense
was Salesian's Carlos Alvarez, a senior who's currently being scouted by UC
Irvine and West Virginia, among others. It was Alvarez, on the first goal, who
made a run down the sidelines, drew two defenders, and then fed the ball to an
open Chavez inside the box. Chavez let the ball bounce once and took the shot
with his left foot. Avenal (25-4-3) never put any real pressure on the
Mustangs' defense.
--Jaime Cardenas
DIVISION II
Santa Margarita 1, San Diego Cathedral 0
Santa Margarita made a first-half goal from midfielder Alex Rodriguez stand up
as they beat San Diego Cathedral, 1-0, to record their 19th shutout of the
season.
The Eagles (24-3-4), who only gave up 12 goals this season, broke a 15-year
old school record for least goals allowed in a season. The original mark was
set in 1993 by a team that included three future MLS players- including
current New England Revolution starting goalkeeper Matt Reis.
To break that record "shows how much heart and character this team
had," Santa Margarita Coach Curt Bauer said. "That team had some of
the best player in the state, if not the country."
This year's defense was anchored by Loyola Marymount-bound Roger Downes and
6-foot-5 junior goalkeeper Billy Thompson. Bauer also credited defenders
Garrett Martinez and Trey Whitaker for helping shore up the back line.
"To have given up 12 goals in 31 games, I would have never expected
that."
Cathedral (27-3-2) had their shots against the Eagles, but were unable to beat
Thompson, who made 10 saves.
"They played good defense and their goalie made good saves,"
Cathedral Coach Bryan Wood said. "They shutout a game like soccer is
supposed to be shutout."
--Jaime Cardenas
DIVISION III
Salesian 3, Avenal 0
Salesian bounced back from a disappointing semifinals loss in the Southern
Section playoffs to win the Southern California Regional championship.
Chris Chavez gave Salesian (19-1-2) an early lead and then the Mustangs scored
two more times late in the match to beat Avenal of the Central Section, 3-0.
The game was 1-0 until Diego Hernandez and Brian Beltran added goals in the
67th and 74th minutes, respectively.
Losing to Oaks Christian in the Division V semifinals "motivated us more
to win this," Chavez said. "Besides, this is better than [than
winning Southern Section]. Bigger ring."
The Mustangs (21-1) were riding a 32-game unbeaten streak when it lost to Oaks
Christian, 4-3, two weeks ago. Oaks Christian went on to win the division
championship, but lost in the first round of the regional.
Even though he didn't score a goal, someone that terrorized Avenal's defense
was Salesian's Carlos Alvarez, a senior who's currently being scouted by UC
Irvine and West Virginia, among others. It was Alvarez, on the first goal, who
made a run down the sidelines, drew two defenders, and then fed the ball to an
open Chavez inside the box.
Chavez let the ball bounce once and took the shot with his left foot. Avenal
(25-4-3) never put any real pressure on the Mustangs' defense.
--Jaime Cardenas
