DIVISION II BOYS’ SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP : Esperanza, Mater Dei Players Seem Calm About Title Game

A section soccer championship will be decided today, but neither team is acting as if the game is any different than a regular-season contest.

“The kids are not worried about the finals,” said Esperanza Coach Kino Oaxaca, whose team will meet Mater Dei at 4 p.m. at Cerritos Gahr High School for the Southern Section Division II boys’ title. “It’s just another game to them. I think it’ll eventually hit them when they wake up (Saturday) morning. I think they’ll start showing some emotion then.”

Esperanza (19-5-5) has reason to be nonchalant about the section final. The Aztecs were there last year and beat Santa Ana Valley, 2-1. Mater Dei (23-2-4) is making its first final appearance since 1987. The Monarchs reached the final with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory Tuesday at Long Beach Wilson.

“I’m kind of surprised at how my kids acted the next day,” Mater Dei Coach Martin Stringer said. “You wouldn’t know we had just won a big game. It was real mellow in practice.”

But Oaxaca doesn’t figure the mellowness will continue today.

“I expect it to be a physical game,” Oaxaca said. “Not dirty, just physical.”

The key for Esperanza and Mater Dei might be stopping the other team’s big scorer. Forward Kevin Quigley (22 goals, 12 assists) is the Monarchs’ leading scorer; forward Mark Alleman (19 goals, 20 assists) is the Aztecs’ big gun.

“He’s a big threat,” Stringer said. “We’ve got to pay particular attention to him.”

Mater Dei must also watch center halfback Mike Morales (nine goals, 10 assists), who scored Esperanza’s winning goal in sudden-death overtime against El Toro in the second round.

Esperanza has been amazing in overtime during the playoffs. Three of its victories have come in overtime, one on penalty kicks against Santa Barbara in the semifinals.

“The key for us is the first half,” Oaxaca said. “If we enter the second half with a one-goal differential, we’ll feel good.”