Boys soccer: NH survives against Aliso Niguel

Tony Altobelli

ALISO VIEJO - Newport Harbor High boys soccer coach Matt West said

it best when describing Friday crucial Sea View League match with Aliso

Viejo, won by the visiting Sailors, 2-1.

“We took everything they had to give us,” he said. “We took their best

shot.”

Whether he meant that literally is the big question.

In a game that had the subtlety of a train wreck and had more yellow

cards flashed than a busy psychic, Newport Harbor scored two goals in the

first seven minutes of the game, then held on to the ropes to avoid the

knockout.

“Aliso just refused to quit,” West said. “We definitely had to battle a

full 80 minutes out there.

It didn’t appear that a gripping game was in the cards, so to speak, as

Newport Harbor (6-6-2, 2-0-2 in league) scored before the echo of the

opening whistle left the field.

Trey Meek took the opening touch, fed it to Tyson Wahl, who found a

streaking Victor Castillo down the sideline.

One nice pass from Castillo back to Meek and Newport was up, 1-0 in the

first minute of play.

“For the amount of time we work on that play in practice, it’s nice to

see something finally work in the game,” West said.

Six minutes later, Riley Madigan drove down the field and fed a perfect

pass to Meek to beat the Aliso Niguel goalie just under the left goal

post, giving the Tars a 2-0 lead.

“Trey beat the goal keeper brilliantly,” West said. “Riley did a great

job of attacking their zone.”

With a quick two-goal deficit, Aliso Niguel (8-7-2, 1-3) tried to get

physical with the Sailors to try to regain some momentum.

With bodies flying and yellow cards flashing, Newport overcame the rough

stuff and held a 2-0 lead after the first half.

But not without some consequence. Senior Ryan Hernandez got his lip

split open and a tooth chipped and loosened off a Wolverine forearm

midway through the first half. After taking some time to stop the

bleeding, he returned to play, but his status for Newport’s next game is

undetermined.

“They play a hard-nosed style over there,” West said of Aliso. “Not

necessarily dirty, they just refused to quit and they started to take it

to us. You gotta give them credit for that.”

In the second half, Sailors goalkeeper Duke Burchell made several key

saves, keeping the Wolverines off the scoreboard.

“Duke really stepped it up for us,” West said. “He’s kept us in a bunch

of games this year with his solid play in goal.”

Aliso’s Brock Schermerhorn was fouled in the Sailors’ goalie box,

enabling the Wolverines a penalty shot.

Schermerhorn scored on the play in the 60th minute, cutting the lead in

half.

Minutes later, Meek had an opportunity for a third goal on a free kick,

but his shot just slid by the right goal post.

Finally the referee’s whistle blew, ending the game before the rescue

helicopter was called in.

With the win, Newport remains a strong contender for a playoff spot with

a crucial road game at Irvine Friday at 5 p.m.