Arlington falls to Mater Dei in championship match

Lions will still advance to play in the Southern California regional playoffs

LONG BEACH >> Twenty-six consecutive wins might have been too much to ask for.

Shut out for the first time this season, Arlington lost 1-0 to Mater Dei on Friday night in the Cif-southern Section Open Division championship match at Veterans Stadium.

“Maybe it was too good to be true — 26-and-0,” Arlington senior captain Hector Ramirez said.

It’s the first loss for Arlington (25-1-0), which still moves on to play next week in the Socal Regional playoffs.

“I truly believe that every championship team has to lose somewhere,” Ramirez said. “This was a blessing in disguise, and we just have to give our all in regionals. We have a second chance.”

It’s the Lions’ first loss in a title game following their win in the 2019 Division 2 final.

“We are all heartbroken,” Ramirez said. “This was

supposed to be our year.”

Ayden Romo had the lone goal as Mater Dei (20-2-1)

captured its first section title since 2001.

“That was an incredibly tough task and I want to give credit to Arlington for playing an incredible match,” Mater Dei coach Sean Ganey said. “Any time you can get a goal against them, they have an absurd goal differential, it’s huge.”

Arlington had the only scoring opportunities of the first half, both turned away by Mater Dei goalkeeper Brayden Mcclelland.

In the second half, Mater Dei scored after a free kick from near midfield was cleared to the top of the box to Romo, who connected cleanly through the strike.

It was just the seventh goal allowed by Arlington this season.

“They took their one second chance and buried it,” Arlington coach Kevin Watson said. “I’m just gutted for my boys.”

Arlington was literally inches away from scoring twice in the final 30 minutes, with Mcclelland stopping and covering a shot on the goal line in the 52nd minute.

In the closing seconds, the Lions produced one, last scoring opportunity but the ball grazed the crossbar, and the final whistle was blown.

“The game can be a matter of inches at times, and tonight was a classic example,” Watson said.

PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ Mater Dei’s Ayden Romo, right, celebrates the Monarchs’ win as Arlington players in the background are chagrined.