It Takes Just 13 Minutes for Valhalla

Thirteen minutes of fury overcame 80 minutes of sound and gave Valhalla High School a perfect ending to a near-perfect season in the San Diego Section 3-A boys’ soccer championship Friday night at Torrey Pines High School.

Valhalla (23-0-1) shocked Torrey Pines, which was playing before a large crowd on its home field, by scoring three goals in a 13-minute span early in the first half to earn its third section championship in three seasons with a 3-1 victory.

“It was magic,” said Valhalla Coach George Logan, whose team brought along a large crowd of its own. “Those 13 minutes were a soccer lesson.”

Just three minutes into the first half, Derek Barry scored Valhalla’s first goal when he pounded home Brandon Sargent’s shot that had deflected off the top goal post.

Seven minutes later, Toby Taitano drilled home a spectacular 22-yard shot from the right side of the net.

Six minutes after Taitano’s stunning goal, Scott Hargrove, who had assisted Taitano, scored a goal of his own.

“Last game (a 5-2 semifinal victory over Bonita Vista) was our best of the year, but those were the best 13 minutes of the season,” said Sargent, one of seven seniors to start for Valhalla.

Andy Newby scored the lone Torrey Pines goal with 32:25 left in the game.

Behind a tight defense led by Randy Close, Rich Hedgepeth and Dane Richards, it was the only goal Valhalla would allow, and only the 10th goal the Norsemen have allowed this season.

“We were just a little nervous in the first half,” said Torrey Pines Coach Steve Juhasz, whose team closed at 19-7-0.

“We were strong in the second half, but three goals is just too much. At halftime, I told the kids to have fun, do a good job and go out and score a goal.”