Eagles rally, win thriller

Steve Virgen

The Estancia High Eagles lived up to their nickname in seizing a 3-2

overtime boys soccer victory over crosstown rival Costa Mesa in a

Golden West League game Friday at the Mustangs’ field.

The Eagles, who also refer to themselves in the Spanish form,

“Aguilas,” soared over their prey, swooped in and scooped away a

victory that seemingly didn’t belong.

Estancia senior Noe Martinez scored the game-winning goal when his

corner kick dribbled and bounced through the Costa Mesa goalie’s

hands with five minutes left in the second 10-minute overtime period.

Costa Mesa (0-12-0, 0-6-0 in league) led, 1-0, for 79 minutes, 30

seconds, but then Estancia (5-5-4, 2-2-2) found an opening and took

advantage of it.

Following a Geo Macias’ free kick from near midfield, Estancia

senior Quiroga Campos scored from just inside the 18-yard box for the

game-tying goal with 30 seconds left in regulation. Under Golden West

League rules, overtime includes two 10-minute periods with no

sudden-death result.

Macias scored two minutes into the first overtime, putting in a

ball that settled from about 10 yards away from the goal. But Costa

Mesa answered with 30 seconds left in the first overtime. Zaid Khalil

drew a penalty from the Estancia goalie within the box. Then, Alfonso

Pineda converted on the penalty kick.

However, Martinez ended the madness with his tricky-ball goal.

“This takes a lot of years from my life,” Estancia Coach Steve

Crenshaw said. “We needed this one because they know their backs are

against the wall and we have been playing flat.”

The loss was especially stinging for Costa Mesa, to say the least.

It’s been nearly two years since the Mustangs have tasted victory.

They have been winless in their past 32 games, which has included

just one tie. They have not won since recording a 3-0 victory over

Pacifica to open the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs Feb.

15, 2002.

“We really wanted to beat Estancia,” Mesa Coach Eugene Day said.

“It was one of those things where you say, ‘Man, we had it.’ ”

The Mustangs played their best game of the season, displaying

intensity through the better part during regulation and into the

first overtime, Day said. Mesa junior Demetrio Velasquez scored,

taking a corner kick that had bounced off his teammate, Edson

Dominguez, 10 minutes into the game.

With their one-goal advantage, the Mustangs controlled the tempo

through the first half and thrived in a physical game that included

one yellow card and a red card assessed on Mesa and one yellow for

Estancia.

Crenshaw, as well as Macias, said the Eagles played poorly in the

first half, but improved after halftime. Luis Mendoza’s absence was

certainly part of the reason Estancia was out of sync. The senior

standout was suspended for two games because of violating a CIF rule

for play outside the team, Crenshaw said. He did not play Tuesday

when Estancia lost, 4-1, to Santa Ana, and he sat out again against

the Mustangs.

Crenshaw said the Eagles should be better regardless of his

absence and he displayed disappointment that his team has not been

playing to its potential.

Estancia defeated Santa Margarita, 5-1, in its second game of the

season and hasn’t hit a high point since.

“We ought to be first place in this league with the talent we

have,” Crenshaw said. “This team is capable of winning it all, but

they just don’t show it. I don’t know what it is. If we just settle

in and play soccer we can play with anybody in this county. But the

thing is we just don’t do it game in and game out.”

The Eagles showed flashes of their brilliance in the overtime

periods. Macias continually led scoring opportunities throughout the

final 20 minutes.

“It’s good that we won, but we have a lot of work to do,” he said.

“We shouldn’t be with the bottom three teams in the league. We should

be in the top three.”

While the loss assuredly hurt the Mustangs, Day reminded his team

to display the same intensity they showed against the Eagles for the

rest of the season.

“This is a special game,” Day said. “This is a crosstown rivalry.

We wanted to win. The kids translated that with that awesome

intensity they had.”