DIVISION I BOYSFountain Valley (20-4-2) vs. Simi...

DIVISION I BOYS

Fountain Valley (20-4-2) vs. Simi Valley Royal (25-5-1), Cerritos Gahr HS, 6 p.m.

It has been two years since Fountain Valley lost the Division I championship game to Royal, 5-4. But there are still three players, juniors Ryan Futagaki and Nick Tolman and senior Adam Novak, and a coach, Kevin Smith, who haven’t forgotten the heartbreak of that loss. “The guys felt like they let one slip away,” Smith said. “They’re fortunate to get another shot at it.” Fountain Valley doesn’t have the explosiveness that the 1995 team had, but it is more sound defensively--the Barons have given up only one goal in four playoff games. The Barons also have a more balanced scoring attack--the ’95 team was built around forward Joey Vasquez, The Times’ Orange County player of the year that season. Futagaki leads the Barons this season with 15 goals and 22 assists; Novak has nine goals and eight assists; freshman Cliff McKinley has nine goals and six assists, including two in the second round against Saddleback. Tolman has six goals, including five game-winners. Royal’s offense revolves around senior forward Kendall Simmons (22 goals), the school’s all-time leading scorer with 47 goals. Simmons has signed to play with California. Senior midfielder Brandon Kay has signed with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Kay (12 goals, 12 assists) scored twice on headers in the Highlanders’ 3-1 semifinal victory over Santa Ana.