In a giving mood

COSTA MESA ? The members of Harbor Day’s boys fifth- and sixth-grade Gold Division team enjoys sharing with one another.

Four different players scored goals in Harbor Day’s 4-0 Daily Pilot Cup victory over Newport Heights on Friday at the Farm Sports Complex Friday. And the majority of the second half was spent trying to get another player a goal.

Forward Ramzi Elkawa narrowly missed two shots and had another bounce off the post, all to the cheers of the crowd that vocally joined in the team’s effort to have him score.

“Ramzi did a phenomenal job,” teammate Brett Nelson said.

Elkawa, dripping with sweat from his second-half effort, explained his approach.

“As soon as you get the ball, be like lightning and streak toward the goal,” Elkawa said.

The sharing started early on for Harbor Day, with brothers Mason and Davis Case teaming up for a goal minutes into the game.

“It was very nice of [Mason Case] to pass me the ball,” Davis Case said. “I love it. It was a great pass.”

Mason Case was confident setting up his younger brother for a goal.

“I can trust my brother with the ball anytime,” Mason Case said.

Forward Dylan Thies was the biggest sharer in the game, recording two assists.

“If you pass it and that person scores, you think, ‘That’s amazing, it started with me,’” Thies said.

Nelson was the first to score a goal, courtesy of a pass from Thies, giving Harbor Day a 3-0 lead.

“Dylan made a great pass, then I got lucky and got it in,” Nelson said.

Thies was also happy to set up Troy Bolus, who played goalkeeper in the opening half, for his first goal in three years. Bolus lobbed a shot that bounced off the Newport Heights goalkeeper’s hands and into the goal to give Harbor Day a 4-0 lead.

Harbor Day’s Ellery Sever scored the game’s second goal using an old habit that finally paid dividends.

“I remember from one or two attempts when I had been up there and they shot and missed and I told them, ‘I am there for you,’” Sever said. “Usually I get in trouble for talking too much. For once, talking paid off.”

Ford Hanour, who played goalkeeper for Harbor Day in the second half, said it all came down to defense.

“I think in the beginning we came out strong,” Hanour said. “In the end, we had good defense to protect the goal.”

Jack Gorab agreed: “It was a fun match. Our defense was able to control the ball well.”

Leaving the game in the first half, Elkawa was greeted on the sideline by his younger sister Aliya, who was bearing a spray bottle to cool her brother off. He waved her away though. His heavy workload would not come until the second half.

“We really tried to put an emphasis on [Elkawa scoring],” Thies said. “He almost had it. He had a couple amazing shots. I was really amazed. He did phenomenal.”

Jonathan Keedy, Nick McGuiness, Tyler McPhillips, Landon Gyulay and Alex Manolakas contributed to the strong offensive effort for Harbor Day. Jack Percival helped preserve the shutout.

For Newport Heights, Kevin Rakestraw, Jose Puentes, Emmanuel Jogwe, Riley Robinson, Cody Lippman and Matthew Searcy kept the pressure on Harbor Day’s goal. Hollin Alhart, Chase Crowell, Mason Murphy, Jesse Torres and Clay Lurvman played strong defense. Goalkeeper Chase Kapana made eight saves.

If Harbor Day wins or ties today against Harbor View at noon at Farm No. 1, it moves on to the quarterfinals.dpt.03-dpcup-1-CPhotoInfoCV1RKCTD20060603j09jdzncDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)Newport Heights’ Jose Puente, left, and Harbor Day’s Landon Gyulay battle for a ball at midfield during Friday’s Boys’ 5-6 Gold Division pool play contest at The Farm Sports Complex. Harbor Day won the game, 4-0. dpt.03-dpcup-2-BPhotoInfoCV1RKGF020060603j09jefncDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)Holland Alhart, right, moves the ball up for Newport Heights.