Simi Valley Frustrated in 4-A Soccer Final, 1-0

Simi Valley High’s pregame warm-up seemed appropriate for the type of match the Pioneers faced in the Southern Section 4-A Division championship match Friday night at Gahr High in Cerritos.

The Pioneers purposefully practiced their head shots, but once the match started they might just as well have been banging their heads against the wall. Simi Valley, which had lost only to Royal in 29 previous matches, fell in frustrating fashion as Palos Verdes defended its 4-A title with a 1-0 victory.

The Sea Kings (29-2-1) stymied the Pioneers with a long-ball strategy on defense, repeatedly stopping Simi Valley drives and then banging the ball back deep into Pioneer territory.

“We’d try to get an attack going and they’d get a foot on it and knock it all the way down to the flag,” Pioneer Coach Andy Silva said gesturing toward a flag pole far beyond the playing field.

Simi Valley had a chance to tie the match with 40 seconds remaining, but Andre Markarian’s shot off his own rebounded penalty kick caromed off the left goal post. The Pioneers were awarded the penalty kick when freshman forward Kevin Nykoluk was crunched between two Palos Verdes defenders in the penalty area.

The Sea Kings struck for their lone goal seven minutes into the match. Senior forward Doug Kay, one of only three starters from last season’s team, lofted a pass from the right corner to sophomore forward Brian Durbin, who fired a head shot into the upper-left corner of the net.

The 4-A title was the second in a row for Coach Al King, who started the Sea Kings’ program in 1973.

“This one’s for the kids,” he said. “Last year was for me. The kids wanted to win it for me. But this one’s for the kids.”

The win avenged a 3-0 loss to Simi Valley (28-2-0), the division’s top-ranked team, in the Marina tournament in December.

Palos Verdes, the Bay League champion, outshot the Pioneers, 17-8, including 12-5 in the first half. Simi Valley goalkeeper Angelo Maccano made nine stops.