Boys team takes first

The Laguna Beach Soccer Club boys’ under-12 team won two matches last

weekend. In the process, they moved into sole possession of first

place in the division standings.

At 4-0-1, the team tops the standings for the first time in the

four-year history of the program.

Laguna Beach 2, Irvine Lasers 1

Laguna jumped out to a two-goal lead, then held off the Lasers at

Alton Park.

Laguna scored its first goal when midfielder Brian Vail took a

cross from Marc Hughes and one-touched the ball into the Laser net.

He scored while sliding side-to-side with a Laser defender.

That goal stood at the half, as Laguna sweeper Christian Ochoa

helped thwart several Laser attacks on the Laguna goal.

Early in the second half, Vail blasted a kick from 30 yards out

that ricocheted off the top post of the Irvine goal and was picked up

by Laguna forward Trey Franklin just in front of the Laser box.

Franklin bounced the ball off his chest, and before it could hit the

ground he volleyed it into the goal to give Laguna a 2-0 advantage.

Laguna maintained that edge, thanks to the defensive play of

midfielders Ethan Cochran, Miguel Jaimes and Paolo Noppenberger.

Near the end of the second half, Laser midfielder Joshua Hwang

connected on a difficult shot from nearly 30 yards out to put Irvine

on the scoreboard.

Laguna Beach 3, Irvine United Red Devils 0

The Laguna defense and keeper Alex Iannotti got the shutout

victory at El Morro School on Sunday against a Red Devils team it had

lost to twice last year.

Laguna first scored when Christian Ochoa netted a penalty kick,

and Laguna took that 1-0 lead into the half.

Just after the start of the second half, Laguna forward Brice

Manning took a cross just in front of the Red Devils box, beat his

defender to the ball and chipped the ball into the goal.

A few minutes after Manning’s tally, Laguna forward Marc Hughes

put the game out of reach when he ran through several defenders and

sent a shot into the upper corner of the Red Devil net.

Laguna fullbacks Aaron Tang, Rex Kelly and Luke Barker were

instrumental during the game in keeping the Red Devils scoreless.