PREP SOCCER ROUNDUP : Yellow Cards Fly as Esperanza Defeats Edison

The players were wearing red and green uniforms, but yellow was the most notable color on the field as No. 9 Esperanza beat No. 6 Edison, 3-1, in a physical Sunset League boys’ soccer opener Friday at Edison.

Five yellow cards were issued during a game that featured more hard fouls than shots on goal.

Edison Coach Andy Strouse said the physical play was more a result of determination than bad feelings between the teams.

“This was light,” Strouse said. “When it comes to league play, you do what it takes.”

Edison (7-3-4, 0-1) struck first when left wing Travis Clutter took a pass from Brent Garza and scored low past Esperanza’s diving goalkeeper, Thomas LaRochelle.

But the Aztecs (5-3-3, 1-0) answered one minute later when Brandon Clewett intercepted a backfield pass from the corner and one-timed his shot into the left side of the net.

Twenty minutes into the second half, Esperanza’s Ryan Piekarski scored from the left wing on a pass from the center by Randy Mitchell to break the tie.

Aztec defender Victor Tiborczszeghy made the play of the game, blocking a point-blank shot by Todd Marcus when LaRochelle was caught out of position.

“I just threw my body at it. I didn’t care where it hit me,” Tiborczszeghy said.

With five minutes left, Piekarski scored his second goal on a penalty kick.