Boys soccer: Mustangs race to first-round win

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - For all the times the Costa Mesa High boys soccer team

never found the back of the net, Saturday was a time for redemption.

And, boy, did the Mustangs make up for lost opportunities. They opened

the CIF Southern Section playoffs with a 3-0 victory over visiting Azusa

in the Division IV first round.

Mesa senior Trinidad Hernandez finished with a goal and an assist and

senior Bernardo Falci netted two scores, while the defense posted its

10th shut out of the season.

The Mustangs (14-5-1), who made its first playoffs appearance since

1991, also collected their quickest goal of the season when Hernandez

took a pass from senior Chasen Marshall and scored from 10 yards out, 127

seconds into the game.

Mesa moves on to the second round, Wednesday, against Bishop

Montgomery, at a site to be determined by coin flip.

“They wanted this more than anything,” Mesa Coach Eugene Day said of

his Mustangs who earned their first Pacific Coast League title. “They’ve

been itching to play all week; really edgy.”

Azusa (5-4-1 in the Montview League) answered back with frequent

attacks. But, Michael Gardiner, Marco Santangelo and Falci were there to

clear out the ball.

In the sixth minute, the Aztecs nearly scored, but Mesa junior goalie

Bryce Sheridan left the net to kick the ball away. Sheridan finished with

six saves, including two stops where he left his feet to slap the ball

out of bounds.

“This is a stepping stone,” Day said. “We still have a lot more to go.

But, this first one was the one we needed to have the extra focus, so now

we can relax and say, “Come on. Who’s next?”

The Mustangs did anything but relax in the second half. Though they

were assessed a yellow card, they maintained composure, while Azusa

picked up three yellow cards and a red card.

Mesa began to frustrate the Aztecs as the Mustangs increased their

defensive pressure.

With less than eight minutes remaining, Mesa cashed in on its hard

work. Junior Irwin Salas stole the ball away from Azusa and kicked the

ball in front to Hernandez who then booted a picture-perfect cross.

Falci, a foreign exchange student from Brazil, finished the play with a

header.

“That was one of the most pretty goals I’ve seen that we’ve scored,”

Day said.

Said Hernandez, “I don’t like to hog the ball a lot. I just saw him

and he’s open. Why am I not going to pass it to him?”

Hernandez, a third-year varsity player, did not hold back celebration

on Mesa’s first two goals. As each ball floated into the net, Hernandez

pointed toward the sky, closed his eyes and displayed a relieved smile.

“I had strong feelings to win,” Hernandez said. “This is my last year

and I was ready to win. This was exciting for all of us.”

Falci scored the game’s final goal with 30 seconds remaining. Mesa

junior midfielder Eli Solis found Falci open on a breakaway. Azusa goalie

Jose Virrueta left the net, but Falci beat him to the ball and scored

from about 35 yards out.