THE BIG MOMENT -- Knight Martin Pacor (10), racing in from behind, heads in the winning goal. Jonatan Muñoz, InternationalKnights win 2-1 in "sudden death"
Cambridge senior Martin Pacor scored his second goal of the night shortly into "sudden death" overtime to give the Knights a 2-1 win over Christian Learning and the League Championship Thursday.
Pacor, who may have been tipped off that Junior Sanchez' corner kick would be coming in high and long, raced around the knot of jostling players in front of the net, leaped, and headed the ball into the goal for the win.
Cambridge senior Martin Pacor scored his second goal of the night shortly into "sudden death" overtime to give the Knights a 2-1 win over Christian Learning and the League Championship Thursday.
Pacor, who may have been tipped off that Junior Sanchez' corner kick would be coming in high and long, raced around the knot of jostling players in front of the net, leaped, and headed the ball into the goal for the win.
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DANCING IN THE DARK --
Pacor and Eagle Richard Telchi share an intimate moment near the Eagle goal.
Jonatan Muñoz, International
He had also scored in the second half to tie the game when he had burst loose in front of the Eagle goal and finally got a shot past tenacious Eagle goalkeeper Alejandro Garcia, who was working hard on a shutout at the time.
Esteban Eguez had scored for the Eagles in the first half, racing in from the left side and then kicking the ball back to his left into the goal.
The regulation game had ended in a tie, as everyone knew it would in this "Year of the Tie." (Seven of 12 regular season games ended in ties, two of four playoff games.)
However, it has to be said that the Eagles, fighting for their school's third championship of this season, led something of a charmed life.
Though the Eagles double- and triple-covered Cambridge star Junior Sanchez, and ultimately kept him from scoring, it would be wrong to say they shut him down.
The big junior seemed to be constantly and everywhere on the attack, settling the ball with amazing skill, faking his way past at least the first several of the Eagle defenders, and often getting off a shot.
Though the Eagles double- and triple-covered Cambridge star Junior Sanchez, and ultimately kept him from scoring, it would be wrong to say they shut him down.
The big junior seemed to be constantly and everywhere on the attack, settling the ball with amazing skill, faking his way past at least the first several of the Eagle defenders, and often getting off a shot.
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AMAZING GRACE -- Eagle goalie Alejandro Garcia deflects a Junior Sanchez free kick over the goal. Carlos Paredes, Cooperative
This reporter recorded ten shots by Sanchez in just the first half: "Sanchez misses left . . .Sanchez shot bounces off Garcia's knees . . . another near miss for Sanchez . . . Sanchez misses from just outside box," and so on.
Several attempts by Sanchez to feed the ball to Pacor also mis-fired, usually because of an alert save by Garcia, whose knack for being in the right place at the right time was phenomenal.
Sanchez also had at least four free kicks in the half, and the second half continued with the same rhythm: "Sanchez shot . . . great save."
The hard-kicking Cambridge defense anchored by Christopher Cocciani and Alvaro Lopez did not give Christian Learning many good chances to attack, but the Eagles used the ones they got very efficiently. Out of perhaps a half dozen authentic scoring opportunities, the Eagles got one real goal that counted, and two goals that were called back by offside penalties.
Sanchez also had at least four free kicks in the half, and the second half continued with the same rhythm: "Sanchez shot . . . great save."
The hard-kicking Cambridge defense anchored by Christopher Cocciani and Alvaro Lopez did not give Christian Learning many good chances to attack, but the Eagles used the ones they got very efficiently. Out of perhaps a half dozen authentic scoring opportunities, the Eagles got one real goal that counted, and two goals that were called back by offside penalties.
Eagle strikers Josh Mojica, Alex Apodaca, and Eguez made sure that there was never a dull moment no matter which end of the field the ball was at.
The Knights opportunities were far more numerous, and included two when a Cambridge player appeared to have an open net to shoot at -- and missed. But generally the Eagle defense, spearheaded by Danny Canaviri, bent but didn't break.
The Knights opportunities were far more numerous, and included two when a Cambridge player appeared to have an open net to shoot at -- and missed. But generally the Eagle defense, spearheaded by Danny Canaviri, bent but didn't break.
And on those rare moments when it did get penetrated, Garcia was there.
Many of those on hand may have been inured to the possibility of a scoreless overtime, and the inevitable penalty shootout, where Garcia's skills appeared to give Christian Learning at least an even chance, though Cambridge goalie Juan Manuel Salas has been no slouch in shootouts either.
But Pacor apparently decided that things need not go that far, that enough was enough.
The line-up for the Knights was Salas, Matias Martinez, Jhonny Sejas, Javier de las Heras, Sergio Palazuelos, Sanchez, Yeshen Li Tan, Jose Zhau Zeng, Alvaro Lopez, Pacor, Nicolas Gamboa, Kevin Pulis, Morlan Castillo, Diego Melgar, and Herless Diaz.
Many of those on hand may have been inured to the possibility of a scoreless overtime, and the inevitable penalty shootout, where Garcia's skills appeared to give Christian Learning at least an even chance, though Cambridge goalie Juan Manuel Salas has been no slouch in shootouts either.
But Pacor apparently decided that things need not go that far, that enough was enough.
The line-up for the Knights was Salas, Matias Martinez, Jhonny Sejas, Javier de las Heras, Sergio Palazuelos, Sanchez, Yeshen Li Tan, Jose Zhau Zeng, Alvaro Lopez, Pacor, Nicolas Gamboa, Kevin Pulis, Morlan Castillo, Diego Melgar, and Herless Diaz.
For the Eagles, Andre Larsen, Nicholas Smith, Conroy Janzen, Richard Ling, Ricardo Telchi, Canaviri, Mojica, Mark Salinas, Tomas Somare, Esteban Eguez, Garcia, Jeff Stabler, Daniel Oh, Trevor Reed, and Apodaca.
GOLD AND SILVER --The champion Cambridge team (top) and the runner-up Christian Learning squad during postgame ceremony. Carlos Paredes, Cooperative. 
