Millan’s goal, assist delivers Estancia’s first league title since 2010

At the start, there was an issue at Jim Scott Stadium. The operator couldn’t get the correct time on the scoreboard for the Orange Coast League boys’ soccer match at Estancia High.

“Turn off the clock!” Estancia coach Robert Castellano yelled toward the press box as the game began.

It didn’t matter that the scoreboard wouldn’t show the time in the first half. Many in the stands knew that time was running out on the rest of the league, as the Eagles were 80 minutes away from winning the outright league title.

Estancia clinched its first league crown since the 2009-10 season with a 2-1 win against Laguna Beach on Tuesday. Luis Millan scored the game-winning goal in the 75th minute, and he had an assist on the first goal.

Millan and the Eagles stayed unbeaten in league, improving to 6-0-3. One contest remains in league before Estancia begins the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs next week.

The next one is always a big one in town for Estancia, which is 13-3-5 overall and ranked No. 3 in Division 3. The Eagles play at rival Costa Mesa on Thursday at 5 p.m. They can close out the regular season by sweeping the Battle for the Bell series.

Castellano was happy that the crosstown rivalry wasn’t going to decide who finished atop the league. His Eagles have 21 points.

“It was so nice,” said Castellano, who will leave the battle for second place in league between Saddleback (5-3-1 in league, 16 points) and Costa Mesa (4-2-3, 15 points). “[Winning league] means a lot, especially [with] this team. We got 18 seniors. A lot of them played as sophomores together here. This senior class is very special. We had some goals and … this was one of them. They deserve it.”

Millan is one of those seniors who came through for Estancia. He helped the team take the lead in the 23rd minute, sending a cross to senior Andy Martinez, who tapped it in near the far post.

Millan created both scoring chances, an impressive feat considering where he plays on the field.

“He’s been playing defense pretty much the whole time here, but he’s really a winger,” Castellano said of Millan. “He sacrifices for us. That’s what he’s been doing all year, scoring from left back. He’s done so much for the program.”

While the Eagles had Millan and their standouts, Laguna Beach played without its top two scorers. Coach Dan Richards said Jet Rocha was out with the flu and Carson Cushing was out with an injured ankle.

Despite not having the two, Laguna Beach (8-6-4, 3-3-3 in league) evened things midway through the second half. Sterling Butler, from near the top of the box, struck a ball past diving goalkeeper Yonathan Lopez to tie it at 1-1 in the 60th minute.

The equalizer seemed to inspire Estancia. And it began to attack the Breakers and keeper Gus Morck.

It took a great effort by Millan to put the Eagles back in front. Millan dribbled from the right side, getting past a couple of defenders, before unleashing a shot that hit the left post and went in, securing the league crown for Estancia.

The Eagles gave Castellano his first league title since his first season in charge of his alma mater, and they ended powerhouse Godinez’s five-year run as league champion. This is the Grizzlies’ final season in the league, as they’re moving to the Golden West League next season.

“We wanted to beat them,” Castellano said. “I remember you sent somebody out to [ask] me, ‘Hey, is this the year you’re going to beat Godinez?’ ”

The Eagles tied Godinez twice this season, but they beat Godinez for what mattered most: the league championship.

Castellano credits his seniors and his top assistant, Cesar Gonzalez, for the program’s success this season.

“If there’s anybody here that wants it more than anybody, it’s [Castellano] and [Gonzalez],” Martinez said. “They’re … die-hard Estancia soccer [people]. They’re passionate, and that’s something that rubs off on us. This is for them.”

david.carrillo@latimes.com

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