Total Recall Puts Harvard in Right Frame of Mind

Barclay Mackinnon, coach of the Harvard High boys’ soccer team, recalled a heartbreaking loss to inspire his team in a San Fernando Valley League match at La Salle on Thursday.

“You know what (La Salle Coach Cherif Zein) is telling them now?” Mackinnon asked his team at halftime. “He’s saying, ‘Don’t worry. It’s our game because they choke.’ ”

Mackinnon was referring to a tournament loss to La Salle five weeks ago in which the Saracens squandered a two-goal lead. Thus motivated, Harvard turned its 2-1 intermission lead into a 5-3 victory in a rematch of last year’s Southern Section Small Schools Division finalists.

The victory was only Harvard’s second against La Salle on the Lancers’ home field in the past 20 years, Mackinnon said. And while La Salle stayed with its traditionally physical style of play Thursday, Harvard employed a more effective run-and-shoot offense.

Harvard (10-5-2 overall, 2-0 in league play) assaulted La Salle goalkeeper Andre Vener with 18 shots--including 11 in a fast-paced second half--and three of the Saracens’ final four shots found home. Forward David Moran, recently named an All-American by the National Soccer Coaches’ Assn. of America, scored a hat trick to lead the way.

Moran, who opened the scoring 29 minutes into the first half, scored his other goals, both into an open net, within the match’s final eight minutes.

With the score tied, 2-2, Vener played close to midfield to help the Lancers keep the ball in Harvard territory. At one point, as Vener attempted to pass to a teammate, Harvard midfielder Dwight Angelini intercepted the pass and booted the ball to Moran, who sprinted untouched down the middle of the field for a score.

The Saracens, the defending Small Schools champions, stretched their lead to 4-2 four minutes later on a similar play. With Vener across the midfield line, Moran received an Angelini pass and darted down the right sideline, outrunning Vener and defender Brad Toothman for an easy score.

“We learned that from last year and in the (Southern Section) championship,” Moran said of Vener’s tactics.

La Salle (9-3-2, 1-1) trimmed the margin to 4-3 on Chris Toothman’s head shot off a throw-in by his twin Brad.

The Lancers then went to a hurry-up offense but Vener again was caught out of position with 15 seconds to play and Jerome Schwartz scored on a slant shot from 30 yards to ice the match for unranked Harvard.