City Section

CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS

Saturday, March 6

Championship

Canoga Park 1, L.A. Jordan 0
Freshman Salvador Hernandez scored in the 38th minute and Canoga Park withstood several furious rallies for a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles Jordan on Saturday at East Los Angeles College. It is the first soccer title in school history for the Hunters (19-1-2).

“I knew we had to [play hard] in the first 20 minutes and play our game - possession and defense,” said Hernandez, whose goal was set up by a give-and-go from senior forward Allanyire Lopez.

The Bulldogs (13-2-4) were missing standout forward Abran Madrigal, who was forced to miss the game after receiving two yellow cards in Jordan’s semifinal victory over Bell on Monday. Jordan managed only one shot on goal in the first half.
--Mayar Zokaei

Third Place

Bell 3, San Pedro 2
Jose Estrella scored twice in the first half and Jorge Arellano scored the decisive goal in the second half to lead Bell (15-1-7) at East L.A. College. Peter Hazdovac and Jeovanny Paredes each scored a goal for San Pedro (16-6-4).

Monday, March 1

Semifinals

Canoga Park 4, San Pedro 1
Top-seeded Canoga Park got goals from four different players while advancing to its first-ever City title game.

The host Hunters (18-1-2) took a 1-0 lead on Jorge Paez’s team-leading 22nd goal of the season and extended their advantage to 2-0 just before halftime when Jeff Quijano headed in a crossing pass from Jose Lopez. Canoga Park, which was 1-11-1 last season, took a 3-0 lead on Allanyire Lopez’s 19th goal early in the second half.

Fifth-seeded San Pedro (16-5-4), which was missing three starters who were issued red cards in a 3-2 overtime victory over Reseda in the quarterfinals, narrowed its deficit to 3-1 on a goal by Arnold Diaz with 10 minutes left in the game. But Canoga Park scored five minutes later when Lopez scored off an assist from Salvador Hernandez.

Hunter goalkeeper Efren Garcia left the game during the second half after he inadvertently bit his tongue while colliding with a San Pedro player. He went to the hospital before the game ended to the get the cut examined by a doctor, but Canoga Park Coach Jake Gwin expected Garcia to play in the City title game against Los Angeles Jordan at East Los Angeles College Saturday at 7 p.m.
--John Ortega

L.A. Jordan 2, Bell 2 (Jordan advances on penalty kicks, 3-1)
Ronnie Lobos scored what turned out to be the winning penalty kick for visiting Jordan (13-1-4) and teammate Jose Iglesias added another in the fourth--and final--round of the shootout.

Jordan, which will play top-seeded Canoga Park in the championship game at East Los Angeles College on Saturday at 7 p.m., took a 2-1 lead five minutes into the first 20-minute overtime on a goal by Abran Madrigal. But third-seeded Bell (14-1-7) tied the score in the final minute on a goal by Carlos Lopez.

Bell, which finished one point ahead of 10th-seeded Jordan in the Eastern League standings this season, took a 1-0 lead two minutes into the game when a corner kick by Darwin Cruz was inadvertently headed into the goal by a Jordan defender. The Bulldogs tied the score with five minutes left in the half, however, on a goal by Ricardo Perez.
--John Ortega