Sailors stunned by Wolverines

Steve Virgen

The blood and pain that came from Warren Junowich’s broken nose and

Michael Gustafson’s cut upper lip proved to be symbolic of the

Newport Harbor High boys soccer team at Aliso Niguel Friday night.

The Sailors were left wounded, not necessarily with injuries, but

more so in regard to pride. Aliso Niguel earned its first Sea View

League victory by stunning first-place Newport, 1-0, ending the

Sailors’ five-game winning streak.

After Newport players were assessed back-to-back yellow cards, the

Wolverines (5-8-3, 1-4-2 in league) broke through for the

game-winning goal in the 72nd minute. As the Sailors tried to collect

themselves, Aliso Niguel quickly attacked, and Justin Smith’s cross

was put away by a Brandon Borenstein header.

“We beat ourselves,” Newport Coach Ryan Hernandez said. “We didn’t

show up to play as hard as we should have. It’s definitely an upset.

A tie would have been an upset.”

The Sailors (12-5, 5-2) entered Friday night’s match having

outscored opponents, 15-3, in their five-game winning streak. But

they appeared to be out of sync in the first half. And, though they

improved in the second half, the Wolverines hung around.

“I would say they took us very lightly,” said Aliso Niguel Coach

Randy Dodge, who is also the head man for Vanguard University’s men’s

soccer team. “They knew our best player [Zech Francis] would be out

with a broken foot. And, who respects an 0-4-2 team?”

Newport senior Joel Walker said he was, “not at all impressed,”

with the Wolverines’ play.

“They were scrappy,” Walker said. “We’re not used to playing

scrappy teams. We can’t get into a groove because they don’t have a

groove.”

Walker expressed disappointment when discussing the officiating.

Immediately after the game, Walker was seen scolding two referees,

and his teammate Will Guzman also had words for the officials.

“Of course we’re frustrated after losing,” said Walker, who

appeared to be held just in front of Aliso net with three minutes

left. “But we can’t blame the referees. We couldn’t put anything

away. We just went casual when we needed to go hard.”

Walker was illegally tackled in the 68th minute when he seemed to

have a clear path toward the net on a breakaway. But Trevor Roane

tripped Walker and took a yellow card.

The Sailors also came close to scoring in the 46th minute. Senior

Conrad Williamson’s strike from about 10 yards out was stopped. About

five minutes later, Gustafson left the game with a bloody upper lip

that needed stitches.

Then, in the 55th minute, Junowich was knocked down. He ran toward

the visitors’ sideline with a crooked nose and blood flowing from it.

Both hits did not result in yellow cards for Aliso Niguel.

“The [officials] weren’t on our side I could safely say,”

Hernandez said. “But they weren’t on their side either. It was just

bad officiating. I’m going to file a complaint for sure. We came out

with a broken nose and Mikey [Gustafson] has a hole on his lip. It’s

just not right.”

Newport Harbor outshot Aliso Niguel, 10-3, in the second half and

17-13 for the game. Newport goalie Taylor Carver anchored the defense

with 10 saves.

“I still think they’re the best in the Sea View League,” Dodge

said. “My guys just played hard.”