Burroughs Doesn’t Throw In Towel, Takes Loyola by Arm

Watch Eddie Melgar throw. See Loyola High heave.

In a wildly improbable finish, Melgar scored not one but two goals on throw-ins in the waning moments of Burroughs’ 5-4 victory over the Lions on Tuesday in a second-round Southern Section Division III playoff match at Loyola.

Goals on throw-ins are legal, but rare. The ball must first touch another player before going into the goal. Both of Melgar’s goals touched Cub goalie Brendan Curtis on their way in.

Both of Melgar’s 40-yard heaves also came from the same spot on the right sideline, about 25 yards from the end line.

“I was just aiming at the keeper,” said Melgar, who wore a soft cast on his sprained right wrist. “I didn’t know he was going to touch them both. It was great.”

His first score was a sailing toss that traveled toward the upper left corner of the net. Curtis backpedaled and barely deflected it, but not enough. That tied the score, 4-4, with five minutes to play.

Four minutes later, Melgar made another throw-in. This one was less clear-cut. It appeared hit the crossbar and glance off Curtis before hitting the ground around the goal line. The ball was cleared by a Loyola defender, but the referee stopped play, consulted with his two linesmen and ruled that the ball crossed the goal line.

Goal, Burroughs. And in short order, match over.

Loyola players vehemently disagreed with the ruling, but Coach Carlos Leon was philosophical. “That’s a very powerful weapon they have,” he said of Melgar. “I knew going in about their throw-ins. They used it, and it cost us.”

Melgar was thorn in the side of the Cubs (18-6-3) the entire match. Burroughs’ first two goals were scored by spindly, highly talented striker Roberto Perez after taking throw-ins from Melgar during the first half.

“For us, throw-ins are better than corner kicks, because it’s so accurate,” Burroughs Coach Mike Kodama said.

Perez also scored on a beautiful run during which he dribbled through and around two Cub defenders before touching the ball past Loyola goalie Justin Mehren, who was removed at halftime in favor of Curtis.

But Loyola answered each of Perez’ goals with one of its own, and took a 4-3 lead with 20 minutes to play in the game on a penalty kick by Mark Reed.

Burroughs appeared dispirited after that, ready to throw in the towel. As it turned out, Melgar probably would have thrown it in the goal.

“Coming back with two goals in the last five minutes is real sweet,” Kodama said.