El Camino Real Bounces Past Unlucky Chatsworth

Guy Klein has had his ups and downs in more than three seasons as a goalkeeper at Chatsworth High.

Wednesday, the Chancellors’ 1-0 loss to El Camino Real in boys’ soccer was one of the latter.

Klein watched his teammates outshoot the Conquistadores, 9-0, in the first half of the Northwest Valley Conference game.

But 10 minutes into the second half, Klein moved off his line to catch a high cross by Jose Alamo of El Camino Real. The ball bounced off Klein’s arms and dropped behind him, where Chris Barrett tapped the Conquistadores’ second and final shot of the day into the net from five yards.

At the final whistle, Klein turned and stared into the distance behind the goal while his teammates filed through the handshake line.

“It’s disappointing because we dominated the first half and most of the game,” Klein said. “It was just one play and I took my eye off the ball. It’s the type of catch you make every day in practice.”

Coach David Hussey of El Camino Real (3-0 overall and in conference play) gave a bemused smile at the result.

“I told the players they got the win today but they didn’t deserve it,” Hussey said. “We’re not a team yet.”

Last season, the Conquistadores, mature and unflappable, advanced to the City Section title game with a senior-dominated team.

This season El Camino Real is struggling technically and socially.

“They’re used to having leadership like last year when guys would say this is how it is,” Hussey said.

The Conquistadores spent much of the game arguing among themselves and trading elbows with the Chancellors.

Four El Camino Real players received yellow-card warnings, including center midfielders Kellen McLaughlin and Mike Petchenick, who were carded simultaneously in the 56th minute for dissent.

Chatsworth (0-1-2, 0-1-2) received two yellow cards.