University couldn’t wait to beat defending champion CdM, clinch first league title since 2010

There was a 48-minute delay to the start of the Pacific Coast League match between the top two boys’ soccer teams. One was ready on Tuesday, while the other arrived late.

It wasn’t hard to figure out which side looked prepared for the showdown.

University continued its stellar campaign, beating defending champion Corona del Mar 2-0 at home to stay undefeated in league.

The Trojans (14-1-2, 7-0-0 in league), the top-ranked team in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 poll, clinched at least a share of the league title, the program’s first since the 2009-10 season. They have 14 points, six ahead of CdM (11-5-1, 4-3-0).

With three league matches left, University needs at least a tie to claim the outright championship. The school had come close to winning it all in recent seasons, in 2016-17, 2013-14 and 2011-12, and each time it finished second to CdM.

Getting over the hump against the Sea Kings was extra special to Trojans coach Martin Wallwork, who is in his fifth season at the school. Before this season, he had gone 0-5-3 against CdM in league.

“For these guys, a lot of seniors here, this has been four years in the making,” Wallwork said. “We felt just short last season.”

The Sea Kings beat and tied University last season, capping an unbeaten league crown. The Sea Kings were the only team to defeat the Trojans during the 2016-17 regular season.

Beside University’s lone setback this season, coming to Pacifica on Dec. 19, no one has been able to take down the Trojans. In league, they have outscored opponents 26-1.

Corona del Mar’s Aidan Holmes (8) clears the ball against University during the first half on Tuesday.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer )

The only goal University allowed in league was to CdM three weeks ago. That game also took place at University because CdM’s grass field could not hold up due to the rain.

The start time for that one — 5 p.m. — was a reason why the Sea Kings showed up late to University on Tuesday, said CdM coach George Larsen. When Wallwork did not see CdM warming up on the field at 2:45, he said he had his athletic director, Mark Cunningham, contact CdM to find out the team’s whereabouts.

Larsen said he got a call from his athletic director, Don Grable.

“Hey, we’re missing varsity. Where are you?” Larsen said Grable told him. “I was sitting on my couch.”

Larsen quickly got off the couch and found a way to get a hold of his players all at once. He said a team mom sent out a group text, telling the players to make their way to University because the game was at 3:15, not 5.

Five minutes after the scheduled start time, two CdM players walked up to the stadium. Larsen joined them five minutes later, and then the rest of the players began to trickle in.

The match began at 4:03, and there were a couple of scoring chances for each side in the first half. The best opportunity came off pure hustle in the 49th minute. A defensive miscue by the Sea Kings contributed as well.

As CdM tried to tap the ball back to goalkeeper Campbell Sheppard in the middle of the box, University’s Darious Abdollahi flew in and Sheppard was in trouble. Getting to the ball first was Abdollahi, who immediately kicked it past Sheppard and in for a goal.

The goal put CdM’s four-game league winning streak in jeopardy. Three of those wins were via shutout, including the previous two.

It was the Trojans blanking their sixth straight opponent in league. Keeper Jimmy Choi, midfielder Sam Kammerman and defender Jeremy Koo have been vital to the success.

University added a second goal in the 70th minute, when Sebastian Hertel patiently dribbled in the box from the right side, right at Sheppard. Hertel scored with a shot to the left.

By the time the match ended, at 5:36, almost 2½ hours after it was supposed to start, Hertel and the Trojans could celebrate. It was worth waiting around for CdM, which finished atop the league the previous two seasons.

“I could have quite easily sat here and taken a forfeit [win], but it’s not the way we do things here,” said Wallwork, whose team plays at Irvine on Thursday, while CdM is at home against Northwood. “We want the boys to earn it. We want their boys to [have] the opportunity to play. I don’t take the cheap stuff like that. So, you know, we said, ‘Look, they got to get over here.’ But at the same time I wasn’t going to wait until 5 o’clock.”

david.carrillo@latimes.com

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