Providence boys’ soccer garners first playoff glory
LOS ANGELES — No longer will the Providence High boys’ soccer team have to search for its first postseason victory.
The Pioneers were finally able to celebrate a playoff win at Occidental College on Friday.
Providence received two goals from Elias Ferguson to record a 5-0 win against La Sierra Academy in a CIF Southern Section Division VII first-round match.
Providence (11-4-1) will meet host Environmental Charter in a second-round match Wednesday.
Dressed in a suit and bow tie, Providence second-year coach Ronald Neef was ready to celebrate the milestone achievement.
“It means the world for our players,” said Neef, who guided Providence to a second straight Independence League championship. “I’ve been coaching for decades and it’s so enjoyable to coach a group like this.
“I liked the way we came out and our guys meant business. They played smart and in control.”
Ferguson, a striker, got things started when he scored on a corner kick from the left side to make it 1-0 in the 34th minute.
“I was able to get a curve on the corner kick and I think the wind helped a little bit,” said Ferguson, a four-year player. “You work on that during practice and you just want to see it happen in a game.
“We had a lot of shots throughout the game and we just had to stay with it and be patient. It’s great to win league, but it’s even better to win in the playoffs.”
Ferguson scored on a 20-yard shot to extend the lead to 2-0 in the 53rd minute and put La Sierra Academy (13-5), which finished third in the Arrowhead League, on its heels.
The Pioneers made it 3-0 on a goal by Bryan Ortiz off a pass from Paul Swaine in the 65th minute.
“We have a team that’s been building over the years,” said Swaine, a senior midfielder. “We kept getting better the last three years and we could see we were getting closer to getting that playoff win.
“We did a lot of things well, from passing to shooting to string defense. It’s the best Providence team I’ve played on.”
Carrington Greene scored to make it 4-0 in the 76th minute and Arthur Martinyan closed out the scoring on a penalty shot with about a minute remaining.
Providence goalkeeper Isaak DiSalvo finished with three saves for the shutout.
“I liked the way we came out in the second half and took control,” said Neef, whose team had four shots hit the post. “Our guys kept making the right plays and we were able to apply pressure. Once we got the second goal, I had a pretty good idea that would be it.”
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
