Capistrano Valley Has Enough Players to Win

All-Southern Section sweeper Ricky Parker served as an assistant coach because of a knee injury, defender Mike Berman was red-carded in the first half and defender Scott Haberman left with a badly injured back early in the second half. But somehow Capistrano Valley had enough players left to defeat visiting Trabuco Hills, 1-0, Wednesday.

The victory gave the Cougars (6-6-5, 4-0-2) some breathing room over the second-place Mustangs (4-6-6, 2-0-4) in the South Coast League boys’ soccer race. Capistrano Valley scored three minutes into the second half on an unassisted goal by senior forward Brad Chapin, who scored his 10th of the season.

Capistrano Valley’s defense wasn’t great down the stretch and Trabuco Hills had three excellent scoring opportunities. But goalkeeper Jason McConnell saved two headers by Angel Perdomo and Trabuco Hills forward Will Hager kicked a point-blank shot well over the crossbar with his left foot.

“You have to be able to finish to win,” Trabuco Hills Coach Eddie Carrillo said.

Carrillo, in his first year at Trabuco Hills after coaching at Orange, was not pleased with his team’s effort.

“We didn’t play hard,” he said. “You can’t play in spurts and expect to beat a team like Capistrano Valley.”

Carrillo was most frustrated with a defensive breakdown on Chapin’s goal that beat Trabuco Hills goalkeeper Todd Abdalla from 15 yards out. Chapin was able to control the ball for nearly 10 seconds in the middle of the field before right-footing the ball past a helpless Abdalla.

“He should have never been allowed to turn in open space like that,” Carillo said. “We had a guy there, but for some reason he stepped off.”

Capistrano Valley now has gone 24 South Coast League games without a loss.

“I’m thrilled,” Capistrano Valley Coach Ron Willms said. “We’re getting a lot of individuals working to get other guys up.”

Willms said he’s hoping to get Parker back from his off-season knee injury by the playoffs. Berman will have to sit out Friday’s game against San Clemente because of his red card and Haberman doesn’t figure to be back any time soon.