Laguna AYSO falls short

The Laguna Beach Boys’ Under-12 AYSO All-Star team won four of five matches it played last weekend at the AYSO National Games in Chicago.

Although Laguna, coached by Danny Melita and assistant Horst Noppenberger, won four out of five games in pool play and finished in a three-way tie for first place, the locals were not one of two teams from their group to advance to the tournament quarterfinals. Teams from Paw Paw, Mich., and Desert Hot Springs of California advanced from Laguna’s pool.

Laguna 6, Sandy, Utah 1

Early goals by Miguel Jaimes and Josh Simpkin got Laguna off and rolling in their tournament opener.

Jaimes scored after picking up a loose ball at midfield, then beat the Sandy goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation. Simpkin beat his defender to the goal after being set up by teammate Jay Williams.

Simpkin recorded an assist when he set up Jaimes’ second score of the match, then notched his second goal on a give-and-go from Paolo Noppenberger. Laguna was in command at the half, 4-0.

That lead was protected early in the second half when Laguna keeper Ethan Reid made consecutive saves. Goals by Jackson Yamasaki, off a pass from Joe Melita, and Williams, who took a pass at midfield from Calvin Garmshausen then weaved his way into scoring position, closed out Laguna’s scoring.

Laguna 4, Paw Paw, Michigan 1

Laguna upended a Paw Paw squad that was coming off a victory over Desert Hot Springs of California, a team considered to be a pre-tournament favorite.

Paw Paw jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but it was all Laguna from that point on. Immediately following Paw Paw’s goal, Laguna scored the equalizer when Paolo Noppenberger passed to Wyatt Kirkland who spun his defender, ran the sideline and netted a diagonal shot that went off the Paw Paw keeper.

Laguna took the lead for good when Miguel Jaimes sent a goal into the top of the net. Kirkland’s second goal of the match also was scored on another diagonal shot from the left sideline, and it gave Laguna a 3-1 halftime lead.

Keeper Ethan Reid prevented Paw Paw from closing the gap just before the half by coming up with a diving block of a shot attempt.

The only goal scored in the second half came when Jaimes converted a penalty kick after Kirkland was fouled in the Paw Paw box. The defensive play of Miles Shirley, Jay Williams, Nick Capobianco and Conner Ross kept Paw Paw out of scoring range in the second half.

Desert Hot Springs 5, Laguna 0

Desert Hot Springs scored three, quick goals and went on to hand Laguna its first loss and create a three-way tie for first-place in pool group play.

Laguna 5, Chicago 1

Wyatt Kirkland scored off feeds from Paolo Noppenberger and Nick Capobianco to give Laguna a 2-0 lead en route to a victory over the host team.

The lead grew to 4-0 by the half after Joe Melita took a corner kick from Miles Shirley and sent the ball into the net, and Josh Simpkin drilled in another score.

Chicago scored in the opening minutes of the second half, but could get no closer after several saves in goal by Ethan Reid. Melita scored his second goal of the game when he took a pass at the top of the box from Calvin Garmshausen and volleyed the ball into the net.

Laguna 6, Huntsville, Ala. 1

Laguna spotted Huntsville a 1-0 lead then ripped off six straight goals to win going away.

Jay Williams tied the score when he received a throw-in, spun around his defender and sent a 30-yard shot that sailed just under the crossbar. A few minutes later, he scored on a blast from the sideline to give Laguna the lead for good.

A goal by Wyatt Kirkland and the defensive play of fullback Conner Ross, allowed Laguna to take a 3-1 lead at the half.

Laguna struck again midway through the second half when Calvin Garmshausen scored off a pass from Josh Simpkin. Miguel Jaimes made it 5-1 when he scored on a chip shot over the Huntsville keeper’s head and Paolo Noppenberger added the finishing touch when he volleyed a pass from Garmshausen into the net.