Tritons Weather Home Field

Much like the Boston Celtics knew the dead spots in the Boston Garden floor, the San Clemente boys’ soccer team knew the muddiest spots on their soccer field. Friday, second-seeded San Clemente slopped and plodded its way to a 2-0 victory over Anaheim in the first round of the Southern Section Division II playoffs.

The crowned field in San Clemente’s football stadium meant that most of the water settled on the sides, while the middle of the field was essentially dry.

Anaheim, the Orange League champion, never figured out a way to negotiate the mud. Anaheim (10-5-5) was outshot, 9-6, and only seriously threatened San Clemente goalkeeper Kevin Mehrens once.

“They tried to play a control game and they actually did pretty well handling the ball considering the circumstances,” San Clemente Coach Michael Pronier said. “We learned from playing on the field that you have to play the ball forward.”

San Clemente (17-3-5) scored both goals in the first 30 minutes and Anaheim never recovered.

Halfback Chad Dains gave the Tritons a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute when he headed a Beau Schuster throw-in past goalkeeper Rodolfo Ortega, who tipped the ball as he attempted to balance himself in the sawdust that was placed around both goals.

Senior forward A.J. Jaramillo scored 20 minutes later when he blasted a free kick from 15 yards into the right corner. Three San Clemente players faked a shot before Jaramillo unloaded and scored his second goal in four games since returning from an academic suspension.

“This field is actually better than it was last year,” Jaramillo said. “We always shoot from that spot on the field in practice, so I knew that you can’t shoot it too hard or you’ll slip in the mud.”

Pronier said the grounds were plush compared to last year.

“We actually got grass to grow this year,” he said. “The grass sort of keeps the mud in place.”

Pronier admitted that the home-mud advantage helped his team Friday, but he doesn’t want to lean on it throughout the playoffs.

“This is a team where I want a good field,” he said. “In years past when we didn’t have very skilled teams, a muddy field was a definite advantage to us. But not this year. If it rains anymore, I think we’d be better off on the road.”

The Tritons, who have seven consecutive victories, will play Orange on Tuesday in the second round. Mehrens stopped five shots and recorded his 12th shutout of the season and his fifth during the winning streak.