Calabasas Sees Red Again After Losing, 1-0

John Reich stood there, staring down at the colored award plaque in his hands and grappling with a wholly unsatisfying sense of deja vu after the Southern Section boys’ 1-A Division championship soccer match Saturday at Gahr High in Cerritos.

The Calabasas High coach had just watched his team play in the 1-A final for the second time in three years, and, as in 1986, against a Frontier League rival.

It ended similarly this year, in defeat. The 1-0 loss to Santa Paula left Reich looking at that plaque and seeing red--as in second place--again.

The Coyotes lost, 3-1, in the final to Agoura two years ago. And after Saturday’s defeat, Reich could only say, “I’d trade both of the two red ones for one of those blue ones.

“It’s our second runner-up plaque in three years,” he added. “It sure would be nice to get a championship one.”

The Santa Paula team, which rode an early first-half goal by junior Gilbert Elizarraras to victory in its first title-game appearance, could not disagree with Reich on that point.

“It’s nice to win in our first time,” Elizarraras said, “But since the beginning, I’d thought we were going to take it--take it all the way.”

The Coyotes were frustrated by a Santa Paula defense that thwarted one shot attempt after another in the second half.

The Coyotes (18-5-1) threatened to score from close range on several occasions after intermission, but were unable to convert any of their chances.

“We just couldn’t score,” said senior midfielder Paul Ratcliffe, who was the Coyotes’ leading scorer this season with 23 goals. “I don’t remember us passing four times in a row to get down the field. We just didn’t play well.”

Ratcliffe himself was unable to take advantage of eight free-kick attempts.

“It wasn’t them,” he said. “I just wasn’t striking the ball right.”

Neither were any of the other Coyotes.

“To be be very truthful, it was frustrating, because it was such a clash of styles,” Reich said. “We’re built in an offensive way--we take a lot of shots and our defense is good because our offense relieves a lot of the pressure. With them, it’s the other way.

“They play for the one goal and use their defense to win. They’re a defensive team, and their defense played a perfect game today.”

The Cardinals’ back line of Ignacio Gutierrez, Marco Sanchez and Jesus Loza made several key stops in the second half, just as the Coyotes appeared to be getting their offense untracked.

The Santa Paula (18-4) defensive effort made Elizarraras’ goal stand up after the junior halfback scored in a crowd from 12 yards out at the 8:56 mark of the first half.

“I was just standing there and the ball was there, so I had to take a shot. I didn’t think it was going to go in.”

Neither did Calabasas goalie Jon Mighdol, who said, “I didn’t touch the ball. I saw it hit somebody’s hand.

“I thought the ball was being cleared out, and then all of a sudden, I saw it just drop, right in front of the guy. I didn’t have any time to react to it.”

Ratcliffe did not think he or any of his teammates reacted particularly well to being in the championship game.

“I think it was pretty bad,” he said. “They were winning the ball, going after it. They just wanted it more, I guess, is what it comes down to.”