CdM routs Eagles

Patrick Laverty

Domination might be a slight understatement. Corona del Mar’s boys

soccer team certainly did dominate against Pacific Coast League foe

Calvary Chapel Wednesday at Mile Square Park, but in more simple

terms the Sea Kings were just the better team and it showed.

Corona del Mar scored a pair of early goals and never looked back,

adding four second-half scores for a 6-0 victory over the Eagles.

The Sea Kings improved to 7-2-6 overall and 2-0-2 in league,

keeping themselves within reach of first place.

“I’m not really concerned with where we are right now,” Sea Kings

Coach Pat Callaghan said. “If we take care of business from this

point on, we’ll be fine. Obviously, we want to win league, but our

top priority is to get into the playoffs.”

Corona del Mar moved closer to that goal by dominating possession

against Calvary Chapel. The majority of play occurred with the Sea

Kings attacking the Eagles’ goal. Corona del Mar appeared to win

nearly every ball, both in the air and on the ground. Possibly the

most telling statistic was corner kicks, where the Sea Kings held a

16-0 advantage.

But Corona del Mar wasn’t able to convert any of those corner

kicks into goals, instead scoring six times in the run of play,

including three headers off crosses from the wings.

Senior forward Chris Ringstrom started the scoring in the third

minute, knocking a header past the Calvary Chapel goalkeeper after

junior Brandon Barrett crossed in the ball from the left wing. Senior

midfielder Jerritt Thayer started the play, collecting a loose ball

near midfield and distributing it wide to Barrett.

Nine minutes later, Thayer scored a goal of his own after Dominic

Rubino served a perfect cross to an unmarked Thayer in the middle of

the box. Thayer had no trouble using his head to make it 2-0.

The Sea Kings continued to dominate play throughout the remainder

of the first half, but couldn’t come up with a third goal. Calvary

Chapel’s only scoring opportunity came in the 22nd minute on an

angled shot from the right wing, but Sea Kings’ goalie Andrew

Dialynas made a diving stop of what turned out to be the Eagles’ only

shot of the game.

Junior Ajay Sahni increased the lead twofold with a pair of goals

within two minutes of each other in the opening moments of the first

half. The first came after a cross by Nick Palchikoff was knocked

down by the Eagles’ keeper and Sahni knocked the loose ball into the

back of the net. Two minutes later, after a save on a shot by Taylor

Munz, Sahni once again knocked home the loose ball.

Palchikoff, who was like an energizer bunny up top in the second

half, added a poached goal of his own in the 65th minute and Austin

Brawner finished off the scoring with a header off a pretty cross

from Barrett, who earned his second assist of the day.

Palchikoff and Barrett both earned accolades from Callaghan, who

was able to substitute freely throughout the game.

“We’re still trying to figure a few things out,” Callaghan said.

“We’re trying new people in different spots. I think we’re getting

into a situation where we’re beginning to feel more comfortable.”