Duarte’s leadership gives Estancia a boost

The senior’s timely goals were also helpful in landing the Eagles in the CIF Division III playoffs.Pedro Duarte picked a good time for an offensive outburst.

With his team’s CIF Southern Section Division III playoff hopes hanging in the balance, Duarte -- a senior forward for the Estancia High boys’ soccer team -- scored both goals in the Eagles’ 2-1 overtime victory over Santa Ana last Friday. The victory clinched a playoff berth for the Eagles, who finished in third place in the Golden West League and went on to win their CIF wild-card game, 1-0, against La Habra on Wednesday.

Duarte’s first goal made overtime possible. His second made the playoffs a certainty.

“On my first goal, Daniel Perez came on strong, carried it down the wing and crossed it to me and I scored on a header,” Duarte said.

Then in the first overtime period, Duarte won a loose ball, carried it inside the 18-yard box and shot it just inside the far post for what turned out to be the game-winner.

It marked the 10th goal of the season for Duarte, who said his success is a culmination of hard work by the team all season long.

“The whole team has been working hard together,” said Duarte, who has been playing soccer since he was 8 years old. “My strength comes from them helping me out.”

You can’t blame Duarte if he played with a little extra intensity against Santa Ana. After all, it could have been his last high school soccer game. This is Duarte’s third year on the Estancia boys’ varsity soccer team.

“It’s my last year. It’s one of those things where you really want to keep winning your senior year,” he said.

Duarte, as a senior captain, has provided leadership all season for an Estancia squad that moved to 12-10-1 after Wednesday’s wild-card victory.

“Everyone looks up to him,” Estancia Coach Gannon Burks said. “He’s a quiet leader who leads by example.”

Pedro Duarte has been a good role model for younger brother Eric Duarte, a sophomore who is in his first year on varsity.

“He has taught me to play hard all the time,” Eric Duarte said.

Pedro Duarte was a steady force up front in Estancia’s wild-card win over La Habra. But Pedro and the rest of the team had trouble finding the back of the net despite ample opportunities -- including two penalty kicks. Pedro Duarte missed one penalty kick and Eric Duarte missed the other.

However, his younger brother, continuing to work hard like his older brother taught him, scored in the 78th minute of the game to allow the Eagles to advance.

“My brother saved us both,” Pedro Duarte said.

Estancia plays at California High today in the first round of the CIF Division III playoffs. California (15-1-3) is a senior-laden team seeded No. 2 in the division, so it’ll take an upset for the Eagles to advance. But with Pedro Duarte leading the way and the team fresh off a momentum-building wild-card win, anything is possible for the Eagles.

“The way our defense is playing, if they keep it up, I think we have a good chance to advance,” Pedro Duarte said.

The Pedro Duarte File

Hometown: Costa Mesa

Height: 5-foot-5

Weight: 164

Sport: Soccer

Position: Forward

Coach: Gannon Burks

Favorite food: Fettuccini Alfredo

Favorite movie: “Scarface”

Favorite athletic moment: “When we beat Santa Ana to get us third place and into the playoffs.”

Week in review: Duarte scored both goals in the Eagles’ 2-1 overtime victory over Santa Ana last Friday. The victory clinched a playoff berth for the Eagles, who finished in third place in the Golden West League and went on to win their CIF Southern Section Division III wild-card game, 1-0, against La Habra on Wednesday.20060217J21O2TNHNo Caption20060217iut4dhncLINDA NGUYEN / DAILY PILOT(LA)