Foss’ Save Sparks Santa Margarita

Newport Harbor Coach Ziad Khoury knows Byron Foss is one of the top goalkeepers in the county, but he’d rather not be constantly reminded. On Wednesday, Khoury saw Foss at his best at the worst possible time for Newport Harbor, which is struggling to make the playoffs.

Foss came up with a spectacular diving save of Manny Oropeza’s penalty kick to preserve Santa Margarita’s 1-0 victory at Kaiser School in Costa Mesa.

Oropeza kicked a bouncing drive that was heading just inside the right post, but Foss stretched his 6-foot-5 frame and tipped the ball away with his right hand with 20 minutes left to play.

“Byron came up with a great save,” Khoury said. “He always seems to come up big against us. He showed why he’s a Division I goalie. He helped his team win the game.”

Foss, who signed a letter of intent Wednesday to play for Southern Methodist University, said he had an idea Oropeza might go for the right corner.

“I can usually tell which way a guy is going by the way he’s setting up,” said Foss, who recorded his 11th shutout of the season. “I could tell he was going across his body. I pushed off pretty well even though it was muddy.”

Newport Harbor (4-4-3, 2-3-2) could use any kind of advantage it can get these days. The Sailors haven’t scored in four games and they see their playoff hopes slipping away. Foss’ save seemed to take the life out of Newport Harbor, which was outshot, 7-4, in the second half.

Fifth-ranked Santa Margarita (13-3-3, 5-2) has won four straight after losing two of its first three Sea View League games. The Eagles scored with a minute left in the first half, when Ryan Coiner leaped above a crowd and headed in Nick Sparks’ long free kick.