Poly stopped by San Clemente in title game
LONG BEACH » The Poly boys soccer team had an impressive run through the CIF Southern Section playoffs that ended Saturday with a 2-0 loss to San Clemente in the Division 2 final.
Still, coach Eric Leon felt his team played to its potential.
“I'm proud of the boys,” Leon said. “Regardless of the outcome of the game, we put ourselves in a situation to get back into it. We played well in the second half but we didn't capitalize on our chances.”
Finn Linas and Beckham Beauchemin scored for San Clemente and the Tritons also got nine saves from goalkeeper Ryan Savoie.
Poly goalkeeper Amir Diaz Espinoza saved six shots and played well in the loss.
“He's just full of confidence,” Leon said. “That gives him the ability to play comfortably. A lot of athletes break their composure, and he didn't. We are glad that we had him, and it's unfortunate we couldn't get him a championship, but now we have to focus on state.”
San Clemente (13-3-8) broke a scoreless tie in the 30th minute. Kian Jadbabei tossed a long throw-in inside the 18-yard box, which found a San Clemente head and careened toward the goal. Espinoza made a diving save, but Linas found the rebound and deposited it in the net for a 1-0 San Clemente lead.
Poly (9-6-8) looked like it scored the equalizer in the 32nd minute but was whistled for offsides, negating the goal.
Poly had its opportunities in the second half.
In the 44th minute, Antony Martinez Urrutia settled a Roberto Bermudez corner kick and launched a shot that Savoie swallowed up.
Espinosa made a diving save for Poly in the 47th minute before the Jackrabbits turned on the offense again. In the 49th minute, Noah Gonzalez threaded a pass to Steve Marquez, but Marquez shot sailed over the goal.
In the 70th minute, Savoie stopped another excellent chance for Poly, this one by Damian Suarez.
Poly's best opportunity came in the 74th minute when a shot by Joshua Cholico forced Savoie out of position, but a header off the rebound from Suarez couldn't get past San Clemente defender Jacob Poole who headed the ball out of trouble from the goal line.
San Clemente added an insurance goal in the 77th minute when Max Peloso connected with Beauchemin, who slid the ball past a diving Espinosa for a 2-0 lead.
Even in the losing effort, Urrutia was proud of his team's accomplishment.
“We still made history,” he said. “No [Poly boys soccer team] has made it [to finals] since 1999. We look forward to state now, we'll move on from this, and I think we'll do good things at state as well.”