SOCCER / ENRIQUE LAVIN : Locke and Garfield Play to 2-2 Tie

Locke and Garfield high schools played a tight match Wednesday, exchanging the lead, then tying 2-2 in Southeastern Conference action.

Ten minutes into the game, Saint striker Ricardo Chavez netted the ball on a powerful right footer at close range. Barely 10 minutes later, Bulldog Julio Munoz trapped a high lob pass by Gerardo Gomez inside the goal area and tapped it over Locke goalie Ricardo Tizcarino.

The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead before the half ended after constant pressure on Tizcarino, which forced the goalie to make a succession of spectacular saves. In the 32nd minute, Luis Garcia blasted the ball on a free kick over a five-man wall. When Tizcarino couldn’t handle the ball, Gomez snapped it behind the goal line on the rebound.

Locke striker Oscar Zendejas tied it again for the final score on a one-touch volley from the edge of the penalty area.

In other area matches:

Jefferson 3, Belmont 2--Democrat striker Juan Corona scored the first and third goals, handing the Sentinels their first loss of the season in a Northern Conference game.

Returning from the winter break with a 4-0 record and having won all four of its contests in the Birmingham High Christmas Tournament, Belmont’s defense broke down at Jefferson.

Beating the offsides trap on a breakaway, Corona nailed a shot that skipped off the far post into the net for an early lead.

Sentinel striker Jose Salmeron scored on a header from a pass by Eric Hernandez for the tie at 1.

But when the Sentinel defense hesitated in anticipation of a foul call in its favor, the Democrats capitalized with a goal, taking the the lead for good. Corona scored again early in the second half to make it 3-1.

Belmont’s David Vera narrowed the difference on a converted penalty kick with only a minute remaining.

Bell 6, Jordan 1--Oswaldo Williams, the Eagles’ leading scorer last year, played his first game of the season and scored twice in a Southeastern Conference victory at Jordan. Striker Jose Leal also tallied twice while Ernesto Serratos and Hector Galdamez each scored once.

Roosevelt 2, South Gate 1--Vicente Mejia scored both goals for the Roughriders for a Southeastern Conference victory at home. All scoring took place in the second half. Mejia scored on a breakaway and a penalty kick. South Gate’s goal came on a header by George Cordova.

Fremont 1, Huntington Pk. 1--After a scoreless first half, the Pathfinders took the lead early in the second on a goal by striker Rene Lemus. The Spartans’ offensive pressure paid off when left wing Mario Mendez tapped the ball in on a confused scramble in front of the goal for the Southeastern Conference tie.

Washington forfeited its Southern Pacific match to San Pedro at home Wednesday, dropping its record to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in conference. San Pedro remains undefeated (4-0-1, 2-0).

Girls

Garfield 3, Marshall 2--Bulldog halfback Liz Oyarzabal scored the game-winning goal with less than 10 minutes remaining with a right footer at the top of the penalty box. Teammate Erica Herrera scored twice in the first half in the Northeast Conference match.

Belmont 6, Jefferson 0--The Sentinels scored all goals in the second half of the Northeast Conference game.