Tigers sweep first half of TCAL play with win over rival Flames
Tokay breaks open 1-0 game after halftime
The Tokay boys soccer team completed an undefeated run through the first round of Tri-City Athletic League play with Thursday’s 4-1 victory over Lodi at the Grape Bowl.
All told, the Tigers have outscored their league opponents 19-6 this season, with only West (a 2-1 Tokay victory on Jan. 16) holding them below four goals.
“They were pretty excited. We wanted to keep the winning streak, but the kids know each other,” Tokay coach Ruben Gomez said. “For the cross-town rivalry, they just like it for bragging rights. It’s one game they want to win, and its the same for Lodi.”
The Flames’ defense kept the Tokay attack at bay most of the first half, and went into the break trailing
1-0 after a Matt Salas goal on a Leo Ruiz assist.
Then the Tigers (9-1-2) went on the offensive, with goals by Ruiz, Ivan Rosales and Alfonso Ochoa in the second half. Sebastian Quiroz, Christian Gonzalez and Osbaldo Dominguez recorded assists.
“I think Lodi was playing
us pretty tight, and we weren’t switching the field very much, just making vertical runs down the field,” Gomez said. “We started switching the field, making some diagonal runs. I think it was just changing the game, it kind of opened it up. That, and we had some individual players who played well in the back, starting with Alejandro Andrada, one of my captains, along with Luis Plaza, Nick
Monteon and Eduardo Rodriguez.”
Adolfo Sanchez scored for Lodi in the second half, with an assist from Jaime Hernandez. Lodi coach Greg Devine pointed out solid play from Alex Oseguera, Richard Herrera and Andrew Clemons.
But the Flames (3-15, 0-5 TCAL) had trouble figuring out goalkeeper Luis Alvarado, who finished with five saves.
Now Tokay prepares to face the second round of league play, with a second straight title in sight. It won’t be easy, though.
“We feel really good about it. This game with Lodi’s important — a lot of times it doesn’t matter what the record was, and at the half it was a one goal lead. The second half I think will be more difficult because everybody knows each other.”