Soccer: Davis mixes it up in 2-0 win

Richard Dunn

COSTA MESA - With a makeshift boys soccer team, combining third-

and fourth-grade division players from three Costa Mesa elementary

schools, Davis Coach Chasen Marshall only had two weeks to assemble his

squad for the third annual Daily Pilot Cup.

But the players responded Friday as if they’d known each other for

years.

In pool play, Davis defeated Newport Heights No. 2, 2-0, with a pair

of second-half goals at the Farm Field. Neither team advanced to today’s

quarterfinals, reserved for pool champion Lincoln.

“Coming in, a lot of the players said they had never played soccer

before, but they seemed to pick it up pretty quickly. They seemed to know

what they were doing,” Marshall said. “There were only a couple of kids

we really needed to teach the game to.”

Davis, a school of only fourth through sixth graders, combined with

Sonora and Paularino to form its entry in the Daily Pilot Cup, and, with

just two weeks for introductions and practice, the team captured its

first win.

In the 30th minute, Dennis Mondragon scored for Davis to break a

scoreless tie in the second half, kicking in a ground-hugging shot from

close range.

“It just slipped through the defense,” Newport Heights Coach Jim

Carmack said.

Danny Estrada added the second goal for Davis in the 47th minute, when

he took the ball away from a Newport Heights player deep in his own end

and fired in another ball from close range.

“It was a very good game, especially since we came off a 12-0 loss to

Lincoln (in the pool-play opener),” said Carmack, whose Newport Heights

squad was led by first-half goalie Tyler Starkweather (three saves), who

shut out Davis.

Davis, also sparked by Jose Faboreno, was tough on defense, holding

Newport Heights to three shots on goal (none in the second half). Forward

Max Jolliffe and midfielders Joshua Brusseau, Wyth Rietveld and Patrick

Briand led Newport Heights.

Davis, which lost to Lincoln, 3-0, in earlier pool play, outshot

Newport Heights, 7-0, in the second half.

“There was definitely a mix of kids on our team,” Marshall said. “I

thought it might get clicky, with Sonora kids only hanging out with

Sonora kids, or something like that. But they all mixed well. They all

listened and got along.”

Neither team moves on in the Cup, but the memories (and T-shirts)

could last a long time.