Saddleback Wins Mustang Invitational

Tuesday night’s Saddleback-Santa Ana boys’ soccer game didn’t count in the Golden West League standings and was played some 20 miles from Santa Ana. But the game meant everything to Saddleback forward Tomas Serna, who had a goal and an assist in the Roadrunners’ 2-1 victory over their archrival.

“We needed to prove we are better than they are, so they can see that we can beat them,” Serna said. “We tied them twice last year. I think they think they can beat us any time.”

Tuesday, Saddleback and Santa Ana played for the Mustang Invitational Champions Cup at Trabuco Hills. Santa Ana (7-3) won the cup last year, but the Saddleback captured it this year because of Serna and outstanding midfield play.

Saddleback played without midfielder Jose Retiz, who has a bruised knee, but George Galvez and Alex Serrano filled in nicely. Serrano scored the Roadrunners’ first goal with two minutes left in the half off a nifty feed from Serna. The score came on a counter attack after Santa Ana’s Jorge Ortiz missed a wide-open net.

Santa Ana tied it two minutes into the half on a penalty kick by Daniel Gonzalez, but Serna answered eight minutes later by blasting a tipped crossing pass past a helpless Jose Hernandez.

“I was waiting for the ball to bounce,” said Serna, who has 12 goals this season. “I kicked it so hard.”

The victory moves the Roadrunners (9-1) into the top spot in the county rankings after wins over top-ranked Santa Margarita and eighth-ranked Santa Ana.