Pardon me. Coming through . . . Eagle heads the ball between two JaguarsGiannini Gutierrez, Co-operative School
Christian Learning 4, Co-operative 1
Eagles fly high, finish in first place
From coaches reports
The Christian Learning boys varsity soccer team went through Co-operative like a hot knife through butter Thursday in a game played on the Jaguars home field.
The Eagles came away with a 4-1 win in a game that was even less competitive than the score would indicate. "It was our worst performance of the year," Jaguar coach Orlando Taja said after the game. "We were pathetic. It was as if the team failed to show up for the game."
What made the situation worse was that Co-operative was up against a team that was at the top of its form. Eagle forward Josh Mojica formally announced that the Eagles had come to play by bonging a shot off the crossbar midway through the first half.
Mojica was back in front of the Jaguar goal just before the half ended, and this time he did not miss. Eagle fullback Danny Canaviri cleared the ball out of the Eagles zone, and the ball came to Mojica a couple of kicks later. The big striker wanged the ball into the goal.
Christian Learning came out for the second half on fire. Richard Telchi notched a goal in the opening minutes to make it 2-0.
A very short while later the Jaguar goalie tried to clear the ball by slinging it sidearm up the east sideline. But then things went seriously wrong. Mojica stepped in front of the intended recipient and intercepted the ball, flipped it slightly into the air, and launched a shot from 40 meters out that took off like an anti-tank rocket and seemed to be still rising as it hit the back of the net. The goalie had not gotten back to his position, which was probably fortunate. Serious injury might have ensued.
At this point the Christian Learning adherents, who seriously outnumbered the Co-operative supporters, began urging their team to relax, take it easy, and let the clock run a little. "You're three goals ahead," one fan yelled. "Tranquilo."
But apparently the "Take It Easy" page had been removed from the Eagles playbook for this game. A short while later Esteban Eguez took a carom off a penalty kick and knocked it into the net with his shoulder, making it 4-0 for the Eagles.
At this point the Eagles finally seemed willing to let up a little, and Juan Alfredo Abuawad was able to score the Jaguars' lone goal. At the end there was one thought that might have offered the whipped Jaguars some small consolation: It could have been worse.
As it is, Christian Learning took sole possession of first place, and Co-operative fell to third. While the Jaguars and Griffins have the same won-lost record (3-3), International has scored three more goals on the season. (Prior to Thursday's games International and Co-operative had the same number of goals scored.)
As a consequence, the semi-final playoff game between International and Co-operative will be played on International's field. (See schedule at right.) Co-operative has beaten International twice this year and therefore must be favored. The Griffins, however, will no doubt be hoping that the third time will be the charm.
PHOTO: Mid-air collision . . . Eagle and Jaguar fight for the ball
Giannina Gutierrez, Co-operative School
AMAZING GOAL: Juan Javier Estenssoro's long free kick arrivesJonatan Muñoz, International School
Cambridge had led, 3-2
Griffins edge Knights 4-3, take second
By Andre Candia
International school
The International and Cambridge boys varsity soccer teams closed out their regular seasons with one of the most exciting games of the year, in which the lead see-sawed back and forth until the Griffins finally won 4-3 on their home field Thursday.
Both teams played with both skill and courage. The Griffins got great performances from Juan Javier Estenssoro, Jesus Rodriguez, Nicolas Bedoya, Jan Ivo Sochtig, Andres Estenssoro, Jon Paz and Daniel Baldivieso.
Cambridge found new offensive threats in diminutive winger Nicolas Gamboa, who got one of their goals, and Martin Pacor, who got the other two. Jorge Yuan on defense, and midfielder Manfred Grote also played brilliantly.
Cambridge did not have its principal goal scorer, Junior Sanchez, and International was without one of its stars, Eduardo Bedoya.
Both teams played each other real tough right from the start. Baldivieso finally broke through and scored for International. The Griffins extended the lead to 2-0 – the largest lead either team would enjoy -- a short time later when Juan Javier Estennsoro scored a humongous free kick launched from the Knights end of the field.
Cambridge shortened the lead to 2-1 just before the half ended. Nicolas Gamboa brought the ball downfield to the edge of the penalty area, where he launched a nifty cross to Nicolas Cirigliano, the wing on the opposite side, who fed the ball back to Pacor in the center for a short-range shot. Pacor eyed the goalie briefly, and then coolly snapped the ball into the left side of the net.
That goal gave Cambridge hope for the second half, and they dominated when play resumed. Gamboa got a goal to tie the score, and minutes later Pacor whacked the ball into the goal for his second score of the day, giving Cambridge the lead 3-2.It seemed that Cambridge would take the match until Jesus Rodriguez scored with a great shot to tie the game at 3-3.
Now the prospect of a penalty shot shoot-out loomed large, but the Griffins averted that anticlimactic possibility. Sochtig made a great run through the Knights defense, and passed the ball to Andres Estenssoro who made the goal by executing a half-scissor shot.
The victory gave International second place in the league. The Griffins won-lost record was the same as Co-operative’s -- 3-3 – but thanks to its goal output in the final game the Griffins had three more goals for the season than Co-operative. By finishing second International won home field advantage --not to mention an added measure of confidence -- when it plays Co-operative in the first round of the playoffs. (See schedule at right).
Cambridge could have qualified as “comeback team of the year” if it had won – and could still do so in the playoffs. The Knights lost their first three games, and then won two of three in the season’s second half. Cambridge will face first-place Christian Learning, who the Knights defeated in their most recent meeting, in the first round of the playoffs on the Eagles’ field.
PHOTO: Going up . . . Knight Manfred Grote and Griffin goalie go for the ball
Jonatan Muñoz, International School
