Corona del Mar’s season again ends in Santa Ana
In the CIF Southern Section playoffs, Corona del Mar High coach George Larsen knew his boys’ soccer team had to put away its scoring chances. Opportunities to find the back of the net in the top division are limited.
The Sea Kings had a lot going for them on Friday as they faced a backup goalkeeper. Three times in the first 28 minutes, they had chances to beat Santa Ana keeper Jessie Iniestra. On two of them, Iniestra took the wrong angle inside the box, leaving the net wide open for CdM to score in the 17th and 28th minute. Each time the Sea Kings misfired.
As for the host Saints, they finished their two opportunities in the first half, and that was enough to lead them to a 3-1 win in a first-round game at Santa Ana Stadium.
For the second straight year, CdM exited the postseason in Santa Ana. The season ended at a different venue, in a different division, in a different round, and against a different opponent, yet the result played out the same.
Godinez, which blanked CdM 2-0 in the quarterfinals in 2016-17, was the premier team in Division 2 last season. Santa Ana looks like one of the best teams in Division 1.
That was the game. They had two chances in the first half and they scored both of them.
— Corona del Mar coach George Larsen
Sophomore Cesar Zamora scored twice in the first half for Santa Ana, and Eric Ramos added a goal in the 76th minute, six minutes after CdM’s Matt Katz cut the deficit to 2-1. The Saints (21-4-2) will travel to No. 3-seeded Los Angeles Loyola (20-3-5) for the second round on Wednesday. The Cubs had a first-round bye.
“In playoff games, you get those kind chances you got to convert some of those,” said Larsen, who also saw Rhyan Phan barely miss the right post with a shot in the 13th minute. “We had three good chances [in the first half]. Those are chances where we were capable of finishing, just came up a little short. That was the game. They had two chances in the first half and they scored both of them.”
Before many of the fans settled into their seats, Zamora gave Santa Ana the lead.
One minute in, Zamora scored with a line-drive goal inside the box. Andrew Zamora’s cross set up the goal.
Cesar Zamora added his second goal in the 18th minute. It came right after the Sea Kings (14-6-1) were unable to capitalize on their best scoring chance. CdM’s Maximillian Rivas dribbled into the box, getting by a defender on the right and then eluding the keeper, but Rivas’ shot toward the far post missed.
“It’s one I know he’d like to have back, just kind of came across it a little bit too much,” Larsen said. “It wasn’t a great angle, so there was a little bit of work to do there still.”
A minute later, the Saints countered in a hurry. Zamora, from the left, unloaded a shot toward the right, giving keeper Campbell Sheppard no chance at stopping the ball.
Rivas tried to cut the deficit in half in the 28th minute. Rivas again got around the keeper, swiftly moving to his left. Instead of taking a shot at a wide-open net, Rivas played it to the middle of the box to Jett Bonner, who couldn’t put much on the volley that went right to Iniestra.
Other than a couple of opportunities, Santa Ana’s defense, which included Joshua Hurtado, Joel Espejo, Isaac Garcia and Oswaldo Vega, shut down CdM for most of the match. An impressive feat considering the Saints played without their starting keeper, Ismael Mojica. Santa Ana coach Joe Penaflor said Mojica was out with a stiff neck, but he expects the senior to return in the second round.
Not having Mojica hurt Santa Ana. Iniestra made a mistake late in the box, grabbing a teammate’s pass with his hands instead of using his feet. The Sea Kings earned an indirect free kick from about 10 yards out, and Katz buried it with a shot below the crossbar in the 70th minute.
It wasn’t enough for CdM, the second-place team from the Pacific Coast League. Edgar Canela recorded his 18th assist, sending a beauty on the ground to Ramos deep in the box, allowing him to seal things for the Golden West League champion Saints. Last season, Santa Ana failed to get out of the first round in Division 1.
“We’re excited about it,” Penaflor said of seeing the Cubs next. “It’s going to be a great challenge. They’re a program with a … great tradition. We’re kind of looking to get back up to that level, push our way back up into Division 1. It’s a good opportunity for us to see where we’re at.”
Get more of David Carrillo Peñaloza’s work and follow him on Twitter @ByDCP
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.
