Upland erases early deficit, advances on PKS over Yorba Linda

Drew Shoji admitted to being a little nervous when he stepped up with the chance to send the Upland boys soccer team into the CIF Southern Section semifinals.

Based on what he did 30 minutes earlier, he shouldn’t have been nervous.

Shoji scored the tying goal in the 78th minute Tuesday and then had the match-winning penalty kick as the Highlanders downed Yorba Linda 4-2 in a shootout after the teams tied 2-2 through 100 minutes of regulation play and overtime in a Division 5 quarterfinal playoff.

The win sends Upland (13-4-4) into Friday’s semifinal match at Shadow Hills.

“I was a little (nervous),” Shoji said. “But I stayed composed. I knew where I was going and I finished it. It is amazing. It gives us confidence going into the next game that we’ll give it our best and make it to the finals.”

Upland went first in the penalty kicks with its first three attempts by Gavin Sampognaro, David Margaryan and Ricardo Maldonado all beating Yorba Linda goalie Santiago Olson. Deiter Williams scored for the Mustangs, but Parker Dalton shot high and Ryan Pilkento hit the crossbar.

Nicholas Giron had a chance to clinch it in the fourth round, but Olson stopped his attempt. Tristan Amacio kept Yorba Linda alive by scoring in the fourth round, setting up Shoji’s game-winner.

But there were moments where it looked like the game would never end up in penalty kicks.

The North Hills League champion Mustangs (13-72) scored the game’s first two goals, a breakaway by Pilkento in the ninth minute then a goal scored by Adan Aldama in the 20th minute off a rebound after an initial shot hit the post.

Ryder Fierro got Upland on the board in the 35th minute by scoring off a corner kick.

“It was the most important goal of this game perhaps,” Upland coach Mike Diaz said. “We came into the half only one goal behind.”

The Highlanders pushed hard for the tying goal in the second half only to be turned away time and time again by Olson.

In the waning minutes of regulation, Diaz subbed out two of his defenders and starting goalkeeper Alden Wisley for more offense. Finally, the tying goal came. Off a free kick from Maldonado, Shoji’s header tied the score in the 78th minute.

“Normally I stay back (on free kicks), but I had a good feeling today,” Shoji said. “When he sent that ball, I came up there with confidence and I directed it.”

In sudden-death overtime, Yorba Linda nearly ended the game in the 88th minute after a shot got past Wisley, but Maldonado cleared it off the back line.

The closely-contested game was in stark contrast to the first two playoff games by each team. Upland beat top-seeded Brentwood 5-1 and Mountain View 3-0, while Yorba Linda defeated Cerritos Valley Christian 6-0 and Orange Vista 7-2.

“We know the type of team we have this year,” Diaz said. “We still are young. I played three seniors, two started. The majority of my midfield and the majority of my skilled players are juniors or sophomores. It (making the semifinals) is big. It’s historic now. We think we have a really good shot against whoever we face.”

Diaz said Upland is in the semifinals for the first time since 2001.

As for the Mustangs, it was a disappointing end to an otherwise successful season.

“I knew (up 2-0) we needed to keep pressing,” Yorba Linda coach Jose Aldama said. “They obviously did the same and they equalized. This is one of the best teams we’ve had in our school’s history. For the younger (players) it’s a good experience. I know we’re graduating a few of our starters, but we have a deep bench.”