SAINTS WILL ADD EIGHTH BANNER TO RAFTERS

Hanging inside St. Augustine High’s beautiful gymnasium are seven banners celebrating section boys soccer championships. Turns out some remodeling needs to be done.

On a blustery, rainy Saturday afternoon, the Saints won their eighth title, knocking off No. 1seeded San Dieguito Academy 1-0 to win the Open Division crown at Carlsbad High.

“Another banner,” said senior forward Andres Brambila. “It’s awesome.”

Brambila scored the game’s only goal. Working down the left sideline late in the first half, Brambila took a feed from leading scorer Iain Wagner, then uncorked a shot that hugged the ground and beat the goalie.

The score came with 9:36 to play in the first half. It would be the only shot for either team that rattled the net.

“I saw the ball go in and I was happy for me and my boys,” said Brambila.

The third-seeded Saints improved to 16-5-1 and, along with the other three teams that reached the semifinals, advance to the Southern California Regionals. The win also served as a measure of revenge.

San Dieguito Academy beat St. Augustine twice during the regular season, 1-0 and 2-0. The loss was a frustrating one for the Mustangs (20-3-4), who were trying to win their first section championship. The fact the season isn’t over offered some consolation.

“New goal,” said head coach Michael Elenz-martin. “Win Socal.”

Down 1-0, SDA spent the majority of the second half on the Saints’ side of the field. The Mustangs got off five shots. Two were from pointblank range and were rejected not by goalie Owen Johnston, but by defenders.

“That’s what I’m most proud of,” said head coach Brendan Johnston, the goalie’s father. “They were all in. That’s what it takes to win an Open final.”

The last two years, St. Augustine was knocked out of the Open Division playoffs by San Pasqual. The Saints exacted some revenge this year, beating San Pasqual 3-2 in overtime in the semifinals.

The Saints trailed twice in that game, 1-0 and 2-1. Brambila scored the tying goal with about seven minutes to play and the winning goal three minutes into sudden death.

“I felt we were the better team both times (against San Pasqual),” said Wagner. “But they were able to finish the goals and we weren’t. The last time we played them, we were finally able to put the ball in the back of the net. It was amazing. The third time’s the charm.”

Girls

Westview 1, La Costa Canyon 0: At Carlsbad High, Anya Van Den Einde scored just 2 minutes, 22 seconds into the second half to lead No. 1-seeded Westview to a win over La Costa Canyon. Westview had eight shots in the second half to none for LCC.

The section title was the fifth for the Wolverines (15-3-4).

La Costa Canyon’s goalie bobbled a free ball in front of the goal and Van Den Einde rocketed the ball into the net. It was the senior’s 13th goal of the season, tops on the Wolverines.

Sixth-seeded La Costa Canyon (9-5-5) had played the playoff spoiler, upsetting third-seeded Torrey Pines and second-seeded Cathedral Catholic.