Surprising Run Goal Short for El Camino Real

The unlikely postseason run of the El Camino Real High boys’ soccer team ended Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Belmont in the City Section title match at East L.A. College.

But credit the Conquistadores for squeezing every drop of life from the season and every ounce of effort from themselves.

Midfielder Victor Saban scored both Belmont goals, a departure from his usual role of playmaker.

The junior rode off the field on the shoulders of Sentinel goalkeeper Jose Borjas at the end of the match, while anguished El Camino Real players lay scattered.

“It was a great game and we never gave up,” Conquistadore Gerardo Herrera said, dabbing his eyes. “They were more skilled than us but we played with heart, not skill. Everything was heart. That’s why we were in the finals.”

Second-seeded Belmont (17-2-3), the Northern Conference champion, won its second City title. The Sentinels shared last season’s title with Garfield and had to forfeit the 1994 crown after they were discovered to have used an ineligible player.

El Camino Real (20-4-6), seeded 17th and the Northwest Valley Conference runner-up, won four playoff matches on the road to reach the final. But Saturday, the Conquistadores squandered an early opportunity and paid for it.

In the 24th minute, Herrera, a standout forward who takes El Camino Real’s penalty shots, prepared for one after a Sentinel defender was whistled for a hand-ball in front of his goal.

As Herrera prepared to kick the ball, Borjas, Belmont’s goalkeeper, walked up and spoke to him. Borjas then dove to his right and blocked Herrera’s shot.

“[Borjas] was telling me I should just hand him the ball because I was going to miss it anyway,” Herrera said. “I guess it just wasn’t my day.”

Saban gave Belmont a 1-0 lead 11 minutes after halftime when he cut in from the left wing, gained a step on defender Jeffrey Soll and shot the ball inside the left post.

El Camino Real tied the match in the 64th minute when forward Jason Leonard took a pass from Gonzalo Rico-Vicetto and scored on a breakaway.

Saban scored the winning goal with nine minutes to play, shooting the ball off the hand of goalkeeper Phil Graham.