PREP SOCCER PLAYOFF ROUNDUP : Foothill Wins Game of Inches, 1-0

Foothill’s 1-0 victory over Capistrano Valley, in the first round of the Southern Section 3-A playoffs Thursday afternoon at Foothill High School, could be measured in inches.

Three Capistrano Valley shots hit the goal posts or crossbar, a crossbar that was two inches too low, according to Cougar Coach Ron Willms.

Late in the first half, Capistrano Valley’s Lawrence Riesz stole the ball deep in Foothill’s end, then fired a shot from the left wing that hit the crossbar. Foothill goalie Jason Vlcek kicked the loose ball out of the penalty area, preserving the first-half scoreless tie.

“A regulation goal, which is eight feet high, should be right at the tip of my fingertips when I stand flat-footed,” Willms said, “That crossbar came below my fingertips, at about 7 feet 10.

“But that wasn’t why we lost,” Willms said. “Both teams had to shoot at that goal; I think we just got unlucky.”

Foothill’s only score came on a 35-yard shot from the right wing by Darin Taylor into the same 7-foot-10 goal.

Taylor took his shot two minutes into the second half as the ball glanced off the fingertips of Capistrano Valley goalie Chad Andrew, settling under the crossbar into the upper left corner of the net.

“If it wasn’t for Darin’s magical goal, you’d still be out there 0-0, fighting for your lives,” Foothill Coach Barry Turner told his team after the game.

Foothill (12-4-7) will face in the second round Tuesday. Capistrano Valley finished the season at 9-8-5.