Costa Mesa claims the prize

Nobody scored for all of regulation and two overtimes.

But Rigo Miranda changed all that with a goal to clinch the

championship for Costa Mesa against San Juan Capistrano in Boys APP

under-14 soccer in AYSO Region 120.

Miranda’s game-winner was his third goal of the championship

tournament, helping Mesa to an undefeated season.

Costa Mesa beat Huntington Beach, 4-2 in the semifinals, getting

four goals from four different players including Alberto Nava, Jose

Perez, Austin Evett and German Higadera.

Miranda, Kenneth Zich and Marco Soto made assists.

Costa Mesa trailed, 2-1, but quickly answered with three straight

goals.

Mesa shut out Santa Margarita, 4-0, in the second pool play game.

Goals all came in the second half from Trevor McDonald, Miranda,

Soto and Evett.

Blake Pinto, Alberto Nava, Miranda, McDonald, Evett, Higadera,

Perez and Adam Seagondollar solidified the offense.

Costa Mesa’s defense held strong throughout, especially in its

first tournament game against Newport Beach.

Goalkeeper Luis Zayala was backed by Ben Abbott, Soto, Luis Cozza,

Caleb Burgess, William Briseno and Zich.

Higadera scored three goals for Mesa and was helped offensively by

Evett, Miranda, Zayala and Soto, who all had one goal each.

Nava had two assists and Burgess and Miranda each added one assist

for Mesa in the win.

In Girls under-14 play:

* Strikers 3, Blaze 2

The Strikers finished the season 11-0 after beating the Blaze in

overtime for the championship.

Chantel O’Toole knocked in the game-winning goal in the first of

two overtime periods to give the Strikers the victory.

Emily Leece scored the first of her two goals on an assist by

Taylor Carpenter and collected her second score on a corner kick that

deflected into the net off an opposing player.