Southwest beats Calexico for IVL soccer title
EL CENTRO — Southwest High School senior defender wouldn’t have seemed like the obvious choice for Head Choice Rafael Contreras when he need someone to take a free kick in the second half of Tuesday’s IVL boys soccer matchup with Calexico Tuesday, but he turned out to be the correct one.
Cota, who is listed third on the coach’s depth chart for such kicks, broke scoreless tie with his second half boot to give the Eagles a 1-0 home victory and this season’s IVL crown.
“I was excited,” Cota said. “I didn’t think I was going to put it in because I’m not the normal go-to guy for those shots.”
Cota’s shot rewarded the confidence Coach Contreras had in choosing his senior defender to take the shot.
“Cota hits the ball pretty good, even when there’s no wind,” Contreras said. “He flies the ball hard and straight, so that’s why I sent the other kickers and told them, ‘Hey, I don’t want nobody but Cota.’ The other two got mad and went to the line. He gave me a reason I was right.”
Without Cota’s free kick, Tuesday’s matchup would’ve added yet another tie to the recent matchup history between the two teams.
On Jan. 11, the Eagles and Bulldogs tied 2-2. When both teams met in 2018, both game ended in a 1-1 and 0-0 draw.
The win gives the Eagles sole claim to the IVL title, as Central Union High, which was just behind Southwest in the standings with a record of 7-1-2, tied Brawley Union High Tuesday night, 2-2.
If Central, now 7-13, had beaten Brawley, Southwest would have needed to beat the Spartans on Thursday for the outright title.
Contreras said he was proud of his team after finally getting over the hump against a tough Calexico squad.
“I’m very proud of our guys because they’re (Calexico) ranked in Division I, that’s the top,” he said. “They’re in the top eight, I think. So that tells you something. And to win against them right here at home, it’s even better.”
Contreras noted that playing with concentration was the key for his team not settling for another tie against the Bulldogs.
“I told them, last time game, we went ahead but we relaxed and they capitalized on that relaxing,” Contreras said. “They tied, and this time I told them, even at half time, ‘Hey you cannot relax because we have the wind in our favor. We have to concentrate because if they get one chance, they’re gonna score.”
For their final games this season, Southwest (18-3-5, overall, 10-02, league) will play at 6 p.m. Thursday at home against CUHS, while Calexico (15-7-3, overall, 8-2-2, league) will play at 6 p.m. Thursday at home against BUHS.