Laguna rolls, stays in second place

Boys’ club soccer under-12 squad posts 5-0, 4-1 victories.Needing to win two games last weekend in order to hold onto second place in the league standings, the Laguna Beach Soccer Club boys’ under-12 team did just what it had to do.

The team defeated West Coast United, 5-0, and the Pacific Coast Heat, 4-1.

The two victories keeps Laguna two points behind the first-place Pateadores of Mission Viejo in the league standings.

There are four games remaining on the regular season schedule.

Laguna, which will not play another league match until it hosts the Irvine Lasers at El Morro School on Nov. 6, will participate in the Mayor’s Cup Gold Tournament in Las Vegas the weekend of Oct. 29.

Laguna 5, West Coast United 0

Marc Hughes scored in the opening minutes of the match to send Laguna on its way to victory at Oso Viejo.

Hughes took a midfield pass from Miguel Jaimes, sprinted past two defenders and blasted a shot into the net.

Minutes later, Hughes picked up a loose ball in the midfield, turned the corner on his defender and netted his second goal.

Just before the end of the first half, forward Brice Manning took a cross from midfielder Brian Vail in front of the West Coast United goal and perfectly placed a one-touch volley into the net for a 3-0 lead.

In the second half, midfielders Paolo Noppenberger and Ethan Cochran each scored their first goals of the season, both shots coming from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Laguna 4, Pacific South Heat 1

Just as it had against West Coast United, Laguna jumped out to an early lead and never let up in defeating the Heat at Lake Forest.

In a previous match earlier this season, the teams fought to a 1-1 tie.

Brice Manning put Laguna on the scoreboard when he landed a one-touch volley off a Brian Vail cross.

It became 2-0 when Mark Hughes sent an aerial cross to Miguel Jaimes, who headed a well-placed ball just past an extended Heat keeper and into the back of the net.

Pacific South Heat cut into the lead when forward Christian Fuentes chipped in a diagonal shot before the half, making it a 2-1 game at the break.

Early in the second half, Brian Vail flicked a header pass back to Manning, who then launched a shot from outside the 18-yard box and into the net to give Laguna a 3-1 edge.

Manning is one of the top scorers in the league.

Laguna iced the match when Vail received an outstanding cross from Hughes and headed the ball into the goal.