Scots advance to title game
CALEXICO — The Vincent Memorial High boys soccer team used an early goal to stun High Tech CV, 5-1, in the teams’ CIF-San Diego Section Div. V semifinal game on Wednesday night at Calexico High’s Ward Field.
With the win, the Scots advance to the title game, which will be played 5 p.m. Friday at La Jolla High School.
There, the No. 3 Scots will face a familiar foe in No. 1 West Shores, as both teams compete in the Manzanita League. In the teams’ two league contests this year, the Scots took the first game, 2-1, and played to a 1-1 tie in the second, adding more anticipation to Friday’s game.
“I’m just very excited,” said Scots’ Head Coach Rodrigo Islas after the team’s win. “This program was in the semis maybe eight years ago and lost, so this is our first semifinal (win) and final (appearance) in school history. We are very proud of these guys.”
The Scots scored in the first 15 seconds of the game after a long boot was misplayed by a High Tech CV player.
As the pass sailed over the Bruins’ defender, Vincent Memorial’s Miguel Valenzuela met the ball as it was about to hit the ground and lobbed it over the High Tech CV goalie, who had come outside the box in an attempt to punch the ball away from Valenzuela.
“I think the defense was a little overconfident, and we capitalized on that,” said Valenzuela, who also scored a second goal about 15 minutes later.
Following Valenzuela’s two strikes, teammate Ivan Avalos made it 3-0 after he sent a header to the back of the net off a corner kick.
Before the end of the first half, the Scots would hold a commanding 4-0 lead, after Eduardo Valenzuela tallied the fourth score of the game, with about four minutes left before the break.
“I feel very proud to have been able to help my team (Wednesday),” Eduardo said.
The senior midfielder joined the team late this season as he also quarterbacked the Scots to a football title, before suffering an arm injury in the state final.
“At the beginning of this year I never thought I’d have an opportunity to play for two CIF titles,” he said. “We were able to take care of business in football, so I hope we can do the same in soccer and go even further and maybe win a state championship, because that’s where we fell short in football.”
In the second half, the Scots played a more defensive style of soccer as the Bruins were relentlessly attacking the goal looking for a score of their own.
Vincent Memorial did a solid job of withstanding that pressure, holding High Tech CV to one score.
Following the goal, the Scots quickly regrouped, regained possession of the ball and resumed the attacking style they demonstrated in the first half.
While the game got a bit heated and a handful of Scots were given yellow cards, the substituted players did a good job of maintaining the game’s momentum and eventually made the score, 5-1, when Leo Wang sent a high-arching shot on goal that found the back of the net.
“We conditioned a lot during the preseason and that showed,” said Scots Assistant Coach Juan Molina.