Knights flex in shining armor

Barry Faulkner

The stars are beginning to align for the Kaiser No. 1 fifth- and

sixth-grade boys soccer team and Coach Leisha Mello said she has the

Galaxy to thank.

Mello, who guided the Knights to a 5-1 quarterfinal victory over

TeWinkle No. 2 in the quarterfinals of the Pilot Cup Saturday at the

Costa Mesa Farm Complex, said she has used the reigning Major League

Soccer champion Los Angeles Galaxy as an example of how to use the

entire field to attack opposing defenses.

“I tell our guys they have to remember the field is wide,” Mello

said. “Everyone else likes to crowd into the middle of the field, but

we like to spread the ball out to the sides. I tell our guys to watch

the Galaxy do the same thing. When they see them passing the ball

wide, it helps them realize it can work. I’m always yelling ‘Go wide’

and it paid off today.”

Will Munoz, running down the left flank, took advantage for

Kaiser’s first goal, angling the ball into the right side of the net

after beating his defender wide in the 17th minute.

Munoz, who, along with teammate Mario Figueroa was identified by

Mello before the contest as the leading threats for the Knights, used

both sides of the field to produce his second goal in the 21st

minute. He took a feed on the left third of the field, cut back

across the middle, split two defenders, chased down his dribble and

directed a right-footed blast from the right side just inside the

left goalpost for a 2-0 cushion.

David Vasquez cut into the lead for TeWinkle, outracing the goalie

to a pass about 10 yards in front and flicking the ball under the

oncoming netminder and into the net just minutes before halftime.

TeWinkle continued to build momentum early in the second half, but

failed to convert two quality scoring chances.

Kaiser then reestablished control when Danny Ingalls ran down a

through ball along the right side of the goal and carried it in for a

short shot that found the net to make it 3-1.

Figueroa added to the lead on a penalty kick in the 48th minute

and then closed out the scoring on a breakaway to propel Kaiser into

today’s 11 a.m. semifinal against Harbor View, a 2-0 quarterfinal

winner over Newport Heights.

In addition to the offensive spark provided by Munoz and Figueroa,

Kaiser received strong defensive work from goalie Wes Shaw (four

saves) as well as Dane Sequiera, David Jung and Matt Mello.

TeWinkle, coached by Mayu Iwatani and assistant Sal Burciaga,

advanced out of its four-team pool to get to the quarterinals.

Kaiser, meanwhile, topped its three-team pool with wins over Our

Lady Queen of Angels, 3-2, and St. John the Baptist, 6-0.

“This team finished fourth last year, so we’re really motivated to

do better this year,” Leisha Mello said.

*

In other boys 5-6 action:

* Harbor Day (No. 1) 4, Kaiser (No. 2) 1: Evan Walker scored the

lone goal for Kaiser on an assist by Logan Newett in a Pool F match

Saturday morning at the Costa Mesa Farm Complex field No. 1.

* Mariners (No. 1) 6, Newport Heights (No. 2) 0: Mychael Clarke,

B.J. Hill and Kevin Wright scored in the first half for Mariners to

lead the way in pool play.

* Harbor Day (No. 2) 6, TeWinkle (No. 1) 3: J.D. Stroud and Chase

Ross scored two goals each, while Eric Hansen and Michael Bear

provided a single tally each for the victorious Seahawks. Harbor Day

goalie Andy Morrow recorded eight saves and was supported by a

defense that included Danny Miller, Hansen, Wilson Knapp, Bradley

Jones and Kevin Kox. Jimmy Nelson, Drew Brahs, as well as Bailey

Smith also contributed, while Michael McKenna and Merrett Scott

produced assists for Harbor Day.