Belmont Tangles With Garfield

Belmont High boys’ soccer Coach Nancy Carr-Swaim has waited two years to retrieve the City Section Division 4-A championship trophy that was forfeited after her team had defeated Bell, 1-0, in the 1994 final.

Shortly after that victory, section officials confirmed that Belmont had played a ninth-semester senior, a CIF violation. Carr-Swaim returned the trophy and no champion was declared.

Second-seeded Belmont (21-1-2) will play third-seeded Garfield (14-1-5) for the title at 2 p.m. today at East L.A. College. The game will follow the girls’ Division 3-A final between Kennedy and Monroe at 10 a.m. and the 4-A final between Chatsworth and San Pedro at noon.

“We haven’t forgotten what happened,” Carr-Swaim said. “We want the title back.”

Garfield defeated top-seeded Banning, 1-0, in the semifinals Thursday, ending the Pilots’ 53-game unbeaten streak. Sophomore Chris Vidal, who has four goals and three assists in the playoffs, scored the winning goal.

The Southern Section will hold three boys’ and three girls’ championship games today at Cerritos Gahr High beginning at 10 a.m.