LCC TRIUMPHS ON EARLY PENALTY
You kind of figured when La Costa Canyon’s Colin Yarbrough out-guessed Steele Canyon goalie Yoel Vazquez on a penalty a little past 14 minutes into the game that just maybe that would be enough.
After all, goalie Nolan Keeping and the Mavericks defense had posted nothing but blanks in the San Diego Section Division II boys soccer playoffs.
Sure enough, Keeping staved off a second half flurry of Steele Canyon shots as La Costa Canyon won 1-0 Friday night at Bonita Vista High.
It was the sixth title for the Mavericks and the first since 2016, earning them a berth in the Southern California playoffs, which start Tuesday.
“I just guessed right,” said
La Costa Canyon 1, Steele Canyon 0
Yarbrough, who actually saw Vazquez lean to his left just before he scorched a ball into the upper left corner of the nets from 12 yards out for his eighth goal of the season. “I was nervous but confident.
“So many things can go wrong — you can miss the ball or fall or kick it over the bar. To win on that was unexpected. I think 1-0 is the most dangerous lead you can have but I was still confident.”
That’s because Keeping actually made it five straight shutouts, including blanking San Diego 4-0 in the quarters and Chula Vista 3-0 in the semifinals.
“I’ve won in club ball but to bring the trophy home to my high school feels great.” said the 6-foot-3 sophomore. “You
have to give the other guys credit.”
OK. Connor Luoto, Drake Thompson, Mason Prevost, Cameron Holl, Jack Silverman and Cole Evans refused to give up the tying goal, clearing the ball time and again, denying the Cougars the equalizer.
With the win, LCC (15-4-4) made it 17 straight without a loss following a 1-4-1 start. Steele Canyon finished 165-2.
Girls
1:
Patrick Henry 2, Parker After Francis Parker
scored 90 seconds into the game, Patrick Henry countered with two first-half goals to capture the title at Bonita Vista.
Sophomore Sophia Speziale stunned Henry (203-1) with the quick goal for Parker (14-6-1).
However, Naima Castro found the back of the net with her 16th goal of the season to equalize the game before Samantha Bancalari took a pass over the middle midway through the period to give Henry the winner.