Mesa gets the upper hand

Chris Yemma

The first 78 minutes of the Costa Mesa High-versus-Newport Harbor

boys soccer game was a defensive standoff. But in the 79th minute, as

the day’s light was rapidly fading at Harper Community Center, the

Mustangs shut off the lights and closed the door.

Mesa defeated the Sailors, 1-0, in the final moments Wednesday,

for the Mustangs’ first win of the season.

In the 79th minute, a free kick was set up from about 18 yards out

on the left side after a Newport penalty. Mesa’s Jose Torres took the

kick, lofted up toward the Sailors’ goal and senior Demetrio

Velasquez headed it in.

Seventy-eight minutes of push-pull defense and eight seconds of

successful offense gave the Mustangs (1-2-1) their first win.

“This is on top of the mountain,” Mesa Coach Eugene Day said.

“It’s huge. How do you say huge, huge twice?

“If we can top this, we’re definitely moving on.”

Costa Mesa and Newport (0-2-1) were evenly matched the entire

game, but the one tiny difference was what separated the winning team

and the losing team. As the game headed toward a tie, the tempo

increased and the Mustangs capitalized on it.

Three minutes before the goal, in the 76th minute, Newport had an

opportunity to take a 1-0 lead, but an inch, maybe two, prevented the

Sailors from possibly taking their first win of the season.

Sailor senior Niko Hendricks broke free from the Mesa defenders

and streaked through the middle of the field, shot from 10 yards out,

but the ball bounced off the top of the crossbar and out of play.

Newport’s closest chance became the Mustangs’ biggest relief.

“[Newport] always has a good team and we know that,” Day said.

“They came to play and these guys expected a good game, and they got

a good game.”

For the Sailors, it was a miserable loss that Coach Ryan Hernandez

said the team should have won. It was Newport’s second loss in three

games and second loss by one goal. Trabuco Hills defeated the

Sailors, 2-1, Dec. 1.

Hernandez credited the loss to Newport’s lack of winning key

matchups in the game.

“The biggest thing was we didn’t come to play today,” he said. “We

were not challenging balls. It was just a terrible performance.

“The way we were playing, we’re going to have a three-hour

practice [today] .”

In the 62nd minute, the Sailors had another opportunity to score,

but a penalty was not called after a questionable slide tackle.

Hendricks had open field ahead of him as he ran down the right side,

but was taken down just inside the penalty box. If a foul would have

been called, Newport would have had a penalty shot.

But the referee ruled it a legitimate play and the Sailors were

out of luck.

“All respect to them -- they came out and won all the balls,”

Hernandez said. “We came out and bickered with each other. There’s a

lot we need to work on.”

Costa Mesa hosts Corona del Mar Friday at 3:15 p.m., while Newport

Harbor is scheduled to host University Monday at 5 p.m.