Newport Coast tops Davis to advance to boys’ 5-6 Silver Division semifinals

The increasingly wily Coyotes moved ever closer to their ultimate goal on Saturday.

The Newport Coast Elementary Coyotes handled the Davis Ducks 3-0 in the Daily Pilot Cup boys’ fifth- and sixth-grade silver division quarterfinals at Costa Mesa High.

The win, their third in as many matches and their third straight shutout, moves the Coyotes, comprised exclusively of fifth-graders, into Sunday’s 10:30 a.m. semifinal against an opponent to be determined.

Defender Colin Pene, forward Nick Salmon and midfielder Jaden Mwendapole scored goals for the winners, who have now outscored opponents 13-0 in the 18^th annual youth soccer tournament.

Pene hooked a free kick from about 20 yards out, into the left corner of the net in the third minute and Salmon converted an assist from Mwendapole in the 13^th minute to round out the first-half scoring.

Newport Coast played the second half with only 10 players, after one left to compete in a basketball tournament.

Davis which picked up its play late in the first half, controlled the action early in the second half, but couldn’t crack the defense that included a back line of Pene, Jack Knox, Makoai Peneku and Rayn Elahi, in front of goalie Carter Cervantes.

Mwendapole converted an assist by Knox to finalize the scoring in the 49^th minute, driving a blast from left of frame that kissed off the right goalpost and into the net.

Pene controlled the defense, while Cervantes registered three saves to add another clean sheet.

Mwendapole, who just missed another goal when his blast from 30 yards out caromed off the crossbar and over the net, controlled possession and was an offensive catalyst all day for the Coyotes.

Salmon, whose father Mike was a standout defensive back at USC who played briefly in the NFL and whose uncle Tim was a major-league baseball star for the Angels, led the way on the forward line for Newport Coast.

“[Pene, Mwendapole and Salmon] are kind of the center of our team,” Newport Coast coach Jeff Pene said. “And I thought [Cervantes] in goal was very good. I was impressed by our play in the second half, when we were down a man. That made it so our guys really had to step up and they really did.”

Stepping up has been a continuing theme for the Coyotes, whose celebratory postgame howl mirrored the synchronicity they displayed on the field.

“I’ve been coaching them in the Pilot Cup since they were third-graders,” Jeff Pene said. “And every year, we get a little better and a little farther along. It’s not my doing, it’s all them. They play soccer all year long and when I get them back together, they end up looking more and more like a team. This year, they are actually passing, supporting and standing up for each other, and hanging in there just like a team, which is really gratifying to watch.”

The elder Pene said the team lost in the semifinals last season on penalty kicks to the eventual division champion.

Also helping them reach the semifinals this season were Callum Cianfrani, Francesco Pompilli, Ryan Kharrazi and Jordan Dauod.

Newport Coast defeated Whittier and Eastbluff by identical 5-0 scores to advance out of pool play.

Davis, which matched Newport Coast with four shots in the second half, after the Coyotes posted an 8-3 advantage in that department before halftime, was led by Ben Smith, Gage Hosto, Mitchell Smith, Makaio Thomas and goalie Rocco Villarreal (five saves).

The Ducks earned pool-play wins against Mariners (3-1) and Victoria (3-2) before bowing out in the quarterfinals.

Also contributing for Davis, coached by Alex Beaver, were Chris Guluarte, Jace Hosto, Adam Garcia, Adam Secrest, Keanu Zaitsu and Evan Freitas.

Kyle Cowley, who did not play Saturday due to a baseball commitment, scored the game-winning goal for Davis against Mariners.

barry.faulkner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5