SEA VIEW LEAGUE SOCCER ROUNDUP : Top Teams Fail to Answer Question of Superiority

Forty minutes of new evidence proved inconclusive. The jury is still out on who is the best boys’ soccer team in the Sea View League.

For the second time this season, Santa Margarita and Corona del Mar failed to solve that debate. Friday in Newport Beach, they played to another scoreless tie.

Although Friday’s game showed how evenly matched the two teams are, the tie actually may go far in determining the Sea View League champion. Santa Margarita (18-0-4) entered the game ranked No. 1 in the county, but the tie leaves the Eagles at 6-0-3 in the league. Corona del Mar, ranked No. 3 at 16-0-4, leads the Sea View at 7-0-2.

Visiting Santa Margarita had the best chances to win. Early in the second half, the Eagles’ Dan Sparks booted a shot that bounced between the goal posts before kicking out of the crease. Then, with just under 10 minutes left, a penalty kick by Sparks was stopped on an excellent play by Corona del Mar goalkeeper Brian Smith.

“We had it won with the penalty kick,” Santa Margarita Coach Curt Bauer said. “And then the shot that hit the posts. You don’t deserve to win if you can’t score on those.”

Corona del Mar Coach Ray Hales spent most of his postgame meeting with the press complaining about the referees’ performance.

“They ruined a good game,” Hales said. “But don’t take anything away from either team. It’s a coin flip to tell who is better.

“As for Smith, I have full admiration for him. Tremendous, just a tremendous save.”

Smith, who made the save against Sparks with a dive to his left, was relieved to help prolong the question regarding superiority.

“My stomach jumped out during the shot,” said Smith. “Just another great game with them.”

In other league games:

Woodbridge 6, University 1--Jason Szczuka scored two goals for host Woodbridge (8-5-4, 4-3-1). University is 3-7, 0-8-1.

Newport Harbor 1, Tustin 1--Doug Stuckey scored the goal for visiting Newport Harbor (4-5-7, 2-2-4) and Caige Moore got the score for Tustin (5-6-2, 3-4-2) Mike Freeman had eight saves of Newport Harbor. Dwayne Stokes had six for Tustin.