Girls soccer: Newport’s rally gets overruled

Tony Altobelli

NEWPORT BEACH - Perhaps the biggest compliment of the Newport

Harbor High girls soccer team came from Woodbridge Coach Jon Szczuka

following the Sailors’ 2-1 loss to the Sea View League kingpin Warriors.

“I’m glad we don’t have to face them in the playoffs,” Szczuka said

following the game. “Newport gave us two hard fought games that went down

to the final whistle. They’re probably the underestimated team in Orange

County.”

The Warriors (13-1-4, 5-0-1 in league) jumped out to a 2-0 lead after

20 minutes of play and held on by the skin of their teeth in the final

minutes against the host Sailors (10-5-4, 4-1-2).

Controversy loomed large in the final minutes. Trailing, 2-1, Sailors’

sophomore standout Amy Burlingham appeared to tie the game with a

perfectly placed goal into the upper-left corner of the goal from 20-plus

yards out.

Upon further review between the referee and linesman, the ball went

through a hole over the crossbar and fell into the goal. The goal was not

allowed and play continued.

“Some of the players close to the play said it went over the

crossbar,” Newport Coach Jason Sorrell said. “But when my assistant coach

went out to fix the hole, he didn’t see how a ball could fit through it.

I yelled and screamed a little bit, but it didn’t work.”

Szczuka saw it this way. “The linesman saw it right away and made the

call right away,” he said. “Newport’s players were celebrating and I

wanted to make sure the referee and linesman talked it over before making

the call. In my heart of hearts I don’t think it went in.”

Burlingham’s near goal was just one of numerous scoring opportunities

for the Sailors in the game’s final 20 minutes.

“We got off to a slow start, but after we settled down, we pounded

them in the second half,” Sorrell said. “It was a tremendous effort

against one of the top teams in all of Orange County.”

Woodbridge took advantage of two defensive breakdowns and took full

advantage. Christene Johnson (eighth minute) and Danielle Shank (19th

minute) gave the Warriors an early 2-0 lead.

The Warriors had two other golden opportunities to blow the game wide

open before halftime, but could not convert.

“I told the girls at halftime to come out with some pride,” Sorrell

said. “I think we came out timid in the first half and it showed with the

2-0 deficit.”

Finally, in the 61st minute, senior Laura Kauth put the Sailors on the

scoreboard. Following a throw in and a minor scrum in front of the net,

Kauth found the ball among the fighting bodies and ripped a shot into the

upper portion of the net, giving Newport life once again.

Johnson nearly answered Newport’s goal with a goal of her own, but her

shot ripped off the crossbar, setting up the Sailors’ near goal moments

later.

The Sailors sent every ball they could toward the Warriors’ net, but

could not find the equalizer.

“We have nothing to be ashamed of,” Sorrell said. “We can pull a lot

of positives out of this. It was a great game by both teams.”