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.”
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