Boys soccer: Mesa dominates

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - The biggest surprise about the Costa Mesa High boys

soccer team’s 2-0 Pacific Coast League victory over visiting Laguna Beach

was that it wasn’t a surprise at all ... not for the Mustangs.

Costa Mesa’s third straight shutout win Wednesday, puts the Mustangs,

the defending PCL champions, alone atop the PCL after the first round.

Yet another surprise: This isn’t the best of the Mustangs.

“We have not peaked,” Costa Mesa Coach Eugene Day said. “There are

some times when we are standing. We’re waiting for the ball to drop and

we’re not challenging. We can still get there.”

Freshman forward Alfonso Pineda scored a goal in each half, while the

defense helped deal the Artists their first PCL loss of the season.

“I’m not surprised because we had it, we just didn’t display it,” Day

said. “It” would be the Mustangs’ up-tempo, passing offense, combined

with a staunch defense that can be dominating. And on Wednesday, the

Mustangs had “It.”

“This gives us great momentum,” Day said of the victory in the battle

for first place in the PCL. “And since we haven’t really played our game

in the first half (of the PCL season), I’m hoping that momentum will help

us play our game: Passing, moving, talking and scoring more goals than

the other team. Passing is what we are.”

Passing is how the Mustangs (10-3-1, 4-0-1 in the PCL) earned their

goals. Costa Mesa senior Billy Lund found Pineda near the goal. Lund’s

pass bounced in front of Laguna Beach’s net and Pineda slammed the ball

in with his right knee in the 16th minute.

Then in the 13th minute of the second half, the Mustangs took

advantage of a counterattack after senior Chasen Marshall ended an

Artists’ threat. Senior Eli Solis, who scored three goals in two wins

last week, led the counterattack, feeding a pass to senior Ricardo Luna,

who dribbled to the corner and unleashed a pretty cross. Pineda jumped

dolphin-like and pounded the ball with his head to produce the 2-0 lead.

“With this team we can go all the way to the CIF (Division IV) final,”

Solis said. “The way we played today was CIF material.”

Though Pineda’s goal was sensational, it was the Mustangs’ defense

that gave Costa Mesa its biggest opportunity for victory.

Led by senior sweeper Steven Thomas, the defense provided momentum

while frustrating the Artists (6-7-2, 3-1-1). Marshall, junior Tyler

Waldron and seniors Spencer Solomon and Irwin Salas also supported on

defense, which led to the Mustangs outshooting the Artists, 23-10. Mesa

junior goalkeeper Ivan Figueroa stopped four shots in his first half of

duty, while senior Bryce Sheridan also recorded four saves in the second

half. Sheridan missed a game and a half because of a leg injury and

illness.

The Mustangs return to PCL action Friday at 3:15 p.m, hosting

University.