BOYS’ SOCCER : One Goal’s Plenty for Cavers

While trying to exploit a substantial height advantage, Bonita Vista’s boys soccer team lost sight of the little guys it was trying to bypass through the air and allowed San Diego to take a 1-0 victory in Saturday’s championship game of the Grossmont Tournament at Monte Vista.

The lone goal came four minutes after the opening whistle when Roberto Bahena took a long pass from Juan Velasco, dribbled past a defender into the penalty area and rocketed a shot by goalie Jim Lawson.

Bonita Vista was pressing forward when Velasco started the counter attack.

“That was just a tremendous pass,” said Coach Milton Hidalgo. “Just a great individual effort.”

In the battle of undefeated teams, San Diego improved to 8-0 and Bonita Vista fell to 8-1. Bonita Vista had scored 31 goals in its previous games, but this time its high-flying offense was submarined by a San Diego defense that has allowed only two goals (one via penalty shot) all season.

It is anchored by goalie Joe Panian, who also starts for the under-17 West Regional team. Panian compared both defenses he backs up.

“They’re about the same,” Panian said of Caver fullbacks Juan Perez, Carlos Martinez and Ricardo Lopez. “They’re really quick. The only thing they don’t have is height. But they make up for that with heart. . . . They love the game and they go all out.”

With their hustle they managed to take away Bonita Vista’s height advantage, one Coach Jerry Hombs hoped would help avenge Bonita Vista’s loss to San Diego in last year’s Section semifinals.

“We tried,” Hombs said. “But they would go up and jump with us.”

Hombs didn’t mention it, but his leading scorer, Reggie Lee, who had at least a goal in each of Bonita’s previous games, was fighting the flu and did not start. Lee eventually played but was not a factor.

“But that’s not an excuse,” said defender Ryan Yakubik. “We just didn’t put the ball in the net.”