BOYS’ SOCCER DIVISION 2-A : End of Valhalla’s Streak Means Title for San Diego

The San Diego High boys’ soccer team defeated Valhalla, 1-0, Saturday night at Torrey Pines High School.

It gave the Cavers the San Diego Section 2-A championship, but San Diego players and coaches weren’t talking about gold medals afterward.

The operative word was revenge.

Although the same two teams last year tied for the section 2-A title, 1-1, Valhalla continued an unbeaten streak that reached 78 games before Saturday’s loss. With it, they cornered the market on attention.

And left San Diego in the dark, despite a season in which the Cavers lost only one game.

“We get two lines of ink, and Valhalla gets 50,” said Milton Hidalgo, San Diego coach. “We didn’t get any credit (through a 22-1-2 season). We felt if we won here tonight we would get some respect. We know Valhalla is the measuring stick by which all other teams are measured.”

Some measuring stick. On this night, Valhalla Coach George Logan was moved to say, “Our midfield was practically nonexistent.”

Midfielder Toby Taitano had a reason for the disappearance.

“We had two real rough games before this one with University (a 3-2 shootout victory) and with Mission Bay (a 1-0 victory) that were really high emotional games,” he said. “I don’t think we came out ready for this one, and I don’t think San Diego was as good as either Mission Bay or University, but that’s what happens when you come out like this.

“But still,” Taitano continued, “you’ve got to give San Diego credit. They scored a goal.”

It came with less than two minutes remaining in the first half on a free kick just outside the penalty box near the right sideline. Manuel Rodriguez sent the free kick low and to the near post where Giang Lai kicked it in.

Although the Norsemen (22-1-1) saw their streak broken, Logan said he wasn’t disappointed.

“The only time I get angered is when we lose to an inferior team,” he said. “San Diego was way ahead of us.”