HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER PLAYOFFS : Bishop’s Talks, Plays Good Game for Title

By monitoring the communication of both Bishop’s and Calvin Christian players during the San Diego Section 1-A boys’ soccer championship game Friday night at San Diego High, one could easily determine who held the advantage.

Bishop’s players were telling one another, “Settle the ball, control it.”

Calvin Christian repeated desperate pleas of “Kick it out of here.” And every time the Crusaders did manage to kick the ball out of their penalty area, they drew applause from their side of the stands.

But on the other side, the Bishop’s crowd was cheering goals. And it did so four times as Bishop’s won, 4-0, for its second consecutive 1-A title.

The way Bishop’s (19-2-4) scored didn’t give Calvin Christian (15-7-2) much of a chance to “kick it out of here.” All four goals came off dead-ball situations, and all four were started by senior midfielder John Healy, who finished with four assists.

The first came at 8:50 off a corner kick. Healy sent a long cross to the far post, where senior sweeper Chris DaMoose ran to it and headed it into the net.

DaMoose, at 6-feet-3, towered over the other players.

“Usually John can reach the far post,” DaMoose said. “And then if we get there on time and the timing is right, it usually goes in.”

The next goal came off an indirect free kick just outside the penalty area at 22:40. Healy simply tapped the ball a yard to his right, where senior forward Charley Marshall met it and shot it past goalie Kevin Casperson.

In the second half, Bishop’s scored off two throw-ins. At 53:35, Healy’s throw traveled some four feet from the near post. Marshall ran onto it, skied over one defender and headed it in.

With less than two minutes to go, Healy sent another throw-in to the near post. This time, Marshall headed it at the unguarded far post.

Rarely will a team’s set plays work so precisely.

“But today those guys just wanted it,” said Sam Manneh, Bishop’s coach. “They’re achievers. They’re seniors and they wanted to go out with a bang.”

But Marshall was a little shocked about how “really easy” it was.

“I was kind of surprised with our finishing tonight,” he said. “It was clinical the way we took advantage of our set plays.”

BOYS’ 3-A

Bonita Vista 2, El Capitan 0--Gus Castanada scored two goals on similar free kicks from 25 yards to power Bonita Vista (22-1-1) in a quarterfinal match at home. Bonita Vista added to its section record with its 20th shutout. Senior Anthony Meza got his 12th with four saves.

Torrey Pines 1, Mt. Carmel 0--Robert Smoot scored 15 minutes into the game for Torrey Pines, which will face top-seeded Bonita Vista in Tuesday’s semifinal.

Poway 3, Patrick Henry 0--Kevin Arthur scored in the first half for second-seeded Poway (19-1-5), and Ryan Nutting and Kevin Legg each scored in the second. It was the 18th shutout for Poway, which will play Fallbrook in Friday’s semifinals.

Fallbrook 1, Mira Mesa 0--Cameron Peach scored just before halftime for Fallbrook (14-5-4).

GIRLS’ 2-A

USDHS 1, Valhalla 0--Ann David made a save with 1:30 remaining, preserving unseeded USDHS’s victory over No. 2 Valhalla in the quarterfinals. Maria Zouvas scored 12 minutes into the game for USDHS (12-5-4). The Dons will play Ramona in a semifinal Wednesday.

Ramona 3, Clairemont 2--Maria Cordoba had the winning shot in a 2-1 shootout after overtime ended, 2-2, at Clairemont. Kristi Smoyer and Nicole Curtis scored in the regulation for Ramona (19-5).

San Pasqual 4, Escondido 1--Shannon MacMillan scored two goals for top-seeded San Pasqual (21-4-1).

University City 2, Grossmont 1--The forth-seeded Centurions will face San Pasqual in the other semifinal Wednesday.