Quick start, great defense puts Burroughs boys’ soccer in CIF quarterfinals
After a long ride for its CIF Southern Section Division III second-round match, it didn’t take long for the Burroughs High boys’ soccer team to get its offense rolling.
The Indians scored twice in the first 12 minutes and received a fine effort in goal by Jordan Morgan to earn a 2-0 victory against third-seeded Paso Robles at Atascadero High.
Burroughs, the Pacific League champion, improved to 19-4-4. The Indians have gone 12-1-1 in their last 14 contests.
“We really got off to a fast start,” said Burroughs Coach Mike Kodama, whose squad has outscored its opponents, 9-0, in its first two playoff games. “Our guys came to play and we were able to get a couple of early ones.
“But really the play of Jordan Morgan and the guys on the backline is what made the difference for us. They had a lot of chances to score, but it was kind of bend but don’t break.”
Morgan, a junior, made 14 saves, including stopping a penalty shot by Paso Robles in the second half.
“We didn’t want to come all this way and travel as far as we did not to win,” Morgan said. “We did what we were supposed to do and we got the ‘W.’”
The win put Burroughs into the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013.
In the quarterfinal match Saturday, the Indians will take on host Salesian, which won its match Wednesday against Northwood, 4-1. Salesian (16-5-3), the runner-up in the Del Rey League behind Cathedral, is the No. 3 seed.
“We know it’s going to be a tough match, but I think our guys will be ready,” Kodama said.
Playing on a wet and muddy grass field, Burroughs struck first in the eighth minute of the first half. Senior Cameron Kelly made a long run through a group of defenders and fired a shot that put the Indians in front, 1-0.
Kelly helped the Indians add to their lead in the 12 minute. The senior took a throw-in and found Anton Prather, who flicked it to Carlos Rosales, who blasted the offering for a goal to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
Despite creating constant pressure throughout the second half, Paso Robles (17-7-2), the No. 3 team from the Pac 8 League, couldn’t score.
“We were under constant pressure in that second half and they had a lot of shots,” Kodama said. “But they couldn’t put one in.”
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Jeff Tully, jeff.tully@latimes.com
Twitter: @jefftsports