Boys soccer: Road Warriors

Steve Virgen

CORONA DEL MAR - What a week it has been for the Costa Mesa High

boys soccer team, which defeated host Corona del Mar, 2-0, in a Pacific

Coast League matchup of Newport-Mesa District rivals Friday.

What a week, indeed.

The Mustangs (9-3-1, 3-0-1 in the PCL), who also defeated crosstown

rival Estancia, 2-0, Wednesday, turned in an electric performance in the

second half which resulted in two goals, the Sea Kings’ first loss of the

season, and a share of the PCL lead with Laguna Beach.

CdM (5-6-3, 2-1-1) played without junior Tristan Harris, who suffered

a concussion in a 2-0 win over University Wednesday, and senior

goalkeeper Geoff Collier and senior forward Aldo Bautista, both of whom

received red cards against the Trojans. Meanwhile, the Mustangs were

without senior goalkeeper Bryce Sheridan, who injured his leg in the win

at Estancia. Mesa junior goalkeeper Ivan Figueroa, a junior varsity

call-up, recorded eight saves to help post the shutout.

“I’ve been saying it all season long,” Mesa Coach Eugene Day said. “We

have a better team this year because (the Mustangs) are passing and

playing together more. We have guys who are passing the ball and moving

the ball more.”

Costa Mesa, last year’s PCL champion, displayed its rhythmic passing

game after Day delivered an inspirational halftime speech.

Day told his players they should not worry who their opponent is, or

where they are playing.

“I don’t care who it is,” he told the Mustangs. “We play our game.”

And with that Costa Mesa played its brand of soccer highlighted by

scoring from seniors Irwin Salas and Eli Solis.

Salas struck a shot into the back of a net after freshman Alfonso

Pineda made a slight touch on a great pass from senior Ricardo Luna in

the 65th minute.

The Mustangs continued to attack after their 1-0 edge and in the 74th

minute Solis punched in his team’s insurance goal.

Solis, who scored two goals in the win over Estancia, booted in a goal

on a free kick from about 25 yards out. He pointed one finger to the sky

as his teammates hugged him.

“If we get our rhythm in the first minute (of the game or the second

half), I think we’re unstoppable,” Day said. “CdM played pretty good.

They kept us at bay. We played with them, their style, instead of our

style, and that’s why they gave us a good scare. They are a pretty good

team, and they’re young too.”

The young Sea Kings, who finished 0-9-1 in the PCL last year, nearly

scored twice before Solis’ goal. After sophomore Danny Whitaker’s shot

created a corner kick, sophomore Jeritt Thayer fired from the corner and

senior Andy Almquist headed the ball toward Costa Mesa’s net. But,

Figueroa stepped up with the save, in the 69th minute. Two minutes later,

CdM junior Blake Dillion’s shot produced a corner kick and Thayer, again

blasted the ball from the corner. This time, Whitaker headed the ball

that sailed inches above the crossbar.

“Overall, it just wasn’t our day,” CdM Coach Pat Callaghan said. “Our

guys played hard and real well in the first half. We just didn’t finish

our chances. We played just as well in the second half. We learned a

lesson. We didn’t have our full complement of players. And that’s

important for us to have our full team here. I’m not placing any blame,

but to be without three players, that hurt our team. I’m looking forward

to playing (Costa Mesa) again. They are a good team, but we didn’t play

our best game.”

Almquist, CdM’s sweeper, led the defense that kept the Mustangs

scoreless in the first half, while junior goalkeeper Phil Stemler

finished with nine saves. Costa Mesa senior sweeper Steven Thomas

contributed solid defensive play in the shutout, as did Salas, Spencer

Solomon and Chasen Marshall.

The Mustangs and Sea Kings return to action Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.,

hosting Laguna Beach to end the first round of PCL play. The Sea Kings

will play at Northwood.

“We have great momentum,” Day said. “We need to take care of business

Wednesday. If we can play like we did in the second half, we’ll be all

right.”