SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ SOCCER PLAYOFFS : Anaheim Utilizes a Real Team Approach to Shut Down Woodbridge

Jose Escobedo made 10 saves as Anaheim High School defeated Woodbridge, 2-0, in a 2-A soccer match Friday.

Escobedo received plenty of help, however. Three times, a Woodbridge shot got past Escobedo and appeared to be heading for the goal, but twice an Anaheim field player knocked the ball away and one ball hit the goal post.

Anaheim (10-3-4) scored after the first near goal by Woodbridge late in the first half. Jeff Helig of Woodbridge slipped a shot past Escobedo, but Marco Alfaro kicked the ball away less than a foot from the goal line.

On the transition, Ramon Camacho passed the ball to Mike Tsarnas, who broke free downfield and scored his 23rd goal of the season. In less than a minute, the Colonists had dodged a goal and scored another.

“I don’t think we were lucky,” Anaheim Coach Adrian Carrasco said. “We were playing a fast-break game. That’s how we got the goal. We escaped their mark.

“I think that was the turn-around point because (afterwards) they started to get desperate and make a lot of mistakes. They didn’t pass as well after that.”

Tsarnas’ goal came on a rare opportunity for the Colonists. Woodbridge (10-9-2), a bigger, more physical team, took 11 shots while Anaheim got only five, but the Warriors couldn’t break through.

With about seven minutes to play, Alex Perez scored to give Anaheim a two-goal lead.

“We had many chances,” Woodbridge Coach Clyde Best said. “We were able to break down their defense. The ball just wouldn’t go into the net.”

In other 2-A matches:

Brea-Olinda 1, Bonita 0--Jayson Ochs scored 20 minutes into the first half for host Brea Olinda (15-7-2). Jeff Bettencourt had five saves for Brea. Bonita ends, 6-12-6.

In the 4-A:

Mater Dei 2, Santa Monica 1--After four overtime periods, host Mater Dei (16-6-3) won the shoot out, 4-2. Tom Evans had two saves in the shootout for Mater Dei, which has 14 consecutive victories. Chris Campbell scored 10 minutes into the second half to tie the score. Santa Monica’s Todd Fite scored 20 minutes into the first half. Evans had 10 saves and Phillip Marchis had 14 saves for Santa Monica (16-10-2). Kevin Taugher, Richard Mills, Joe Nay and Shawn Gallagher scored in the shootout for Mater Dei.

Ocean View 2, Hawthorne 0--Greg Biggins scored 17 minutes into the match and Jed Smith scored 12 minutes into the second half for visiting Ocean View (15-4-5). Hawthorne finished 19-3-6. Seventh-seeded Ocean View outshot fourth-seeded Hawthorne, 15-3.

In 2-A:

Laguna Hills 2, Kennedy 1--Brian Slayback scored the winning goal with 10 minutes left. Joseph Rodriguez scored seven minutes into the game for visiting Kennedy, Scott Clark tied the score seven minutes into the second half on a cross pass from Slayback. It was Clark’s 16th goal of the year for Laguna Hills (20-5). Kennedy goalie Sean O’Keefe had 18 saves for Kennedy (11-8). Chad Davidson had five saves for Laguna Hills.