BOYS’ SOCCER DIVISION 3-A : Poway the Happiest of Finalists After Victory

It was almost a San Diego Section championship game with two winners, or at least without a big loser.

Poway claimed the boys’ 3-A title with a 2-0 victory over Bonita Vista and celebrated when the final whistle blew. Just as the Titans should have.

But over on the other sideline, there was little sulking.

Seems the Barons were just happy to make it to the final game and set two section records on the way, one for most shutouts in a season (21) and another for fewest goals allowed in a season (six).

But Poway got the shutout when it most counted. In fact, it was the fourth Poway goalie Scott Vasterling recorded during the playoffs and the 20th for Poway overall, which puts the Titans right behind Bonita Vista in the record book.

Poway also put the ball in the back of the net when it counted, although the first goal came about after a controversial call.

Ryan Yukubik, Bonita Vista’s sweeper, was trying to control the ball near his own end line when Poway’s Ryan Nutting came from behind and tried to steal it.

The ball was kicked out of bounds. Yukubik thought he had been fouled in the ensuing tussle. Nutting allowed simply that he had kicked the ball out of bounds and that Bonita Vista should have been awarded a goal kick.

The linesman saw it differently, giving Poway a corner kick. Kevin Arthur took it and sent the ball to the far post, from where Nutting headed it in with four minutes left in the first half.

Afterward no one on the Bonita Vista sideline was making excuses.

“They took it to us,” said Milt Shadoan, Bonita Vista coach.

“We just wanted it more,” said Bob Champion, Poway coach.

It was the first full title for Poway and Champion, who has been the school’s only soccer coach since starting the program 18 years ago. In 1987, Poway shared the championship with Valhalla.

The Titans put it away with nine minutes remaining when Mike Sharp scored on a header off a crossing pass from Kevin Legg.