HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER : Santa Ana Ends Long Wait, Wins Section 4-A Crown

Santa Ana High won its first soccer title Friday night, defeating Beverly Hills, 5-1, in the Southern Section 4-A championship game at Gahr High.

After 18 years of soccer, 11 league championships, five semifinal appearances and one second-place finish, the Saints finally won a Section championship.

“I’ve been waiting 10 years for this,” said Gus Plasencia, who scored three goals. “We knew that the school had never won a championship. It was important to us to be the first.”

Plasencia’s three second-half goals helped erase a 1-0 halftime deficit against Beverly Hills (18-7-2).

With 23 minutes left, Jorge Perez lobbed a pass from midfield. Plasencia hesitated a second, then turned around the defender and scored into an open net.

The Normans’ Mark Jaffe picked up a loose ball at the side of net and scored on a deflection off Santa Ana’s Rafael Serrano and into the net for a 2-1 lead.

Plasencia scored on a header, then off a corner kick to give the Saints a 4-1 lead. He finished the season with 26 goals.

In other games:

Temecula Valley 2, Yucaipa 0--The Golden Bears beat their Sunkist League rival for the second time this season to claim the Southern Section Small Schools Division championship.

Temecula Valley’s scoring came on goals by Dave Williams and Greg Campbell.

Yucaipa (17-3-1) outshot Temecula Valley (24-1-5), 12-8.

El Toro 3, Simi Valley 1--The Chargers completed an undefeated season by winning the girls’ 4-A Division championship, their second title in a row.

Shawna Berke scored seven minutes into the match at Gahr High for a 1-0 El Toro lead, which lasted through the half.

Midfielder Shawn Viloria scored her team-high 40th goal of the season for a 2-0 advantage. Kelly Thomson scored from five yards at 26 minutes for a 3-0 El Toro lead.

Liz Albin helped Simi Valley (24-3-1) avoid the shutout with an unassisted goal with four minutes to play.

El Toro completed the season 29-0-2.