El Toro’s Surprise Showing Continues

El Toro’s playoff run continued Tuesday with a 1-0 overtime victory over fourth-seeded Arcadia in a Division I semifinal game at Trabuco Hills High.

Sophomore midfielder Sem Lopez’s header off a cross by Wes Sjobaum in the 85th minute gave El Toro, a wild-card team, the lead in the first of two overtime periods.

Sjobaum took the ball down the right wing, brought it back left and lofted a pass to the far post where Lopez was waiting to put it in past Arcadia goalkeeper Brad McEachern.

It was Lopez’s third goal of the playoffs and seventh of the season.

The Charger defense held on despite some anxious moments in front of its goal late in the second overtime.

“Our coach told us to be patient,” said Lopez, who was one of two Charger players to hit the goal post with a shot in the second half. “We knew what had to be done in the overtime and we finished it.”

El Toro had good reason to be confident going into overtime.

It was El Toro’s third consecutive 1-0 victory and fourth in overtime in the playoffs.

“I think we have an advantage when it goes into overtime,” El Toro Coach Ken Sjobaum said. “I think we are the fittest team in [Southern Section]. We played at least 100 minutes in four straight games. We are peaking at the right time.”

Charger goalie Josh Saunders recorded his third straight shutout (eighth this season) with seven saves.

El Toro, which started the season 1-7, is now 14-10-2 and will be playing in a Southern Section final for the first time since 1990, when it won the championship.

In a Division IV semifinal:

Laguna Beach 3, South El Monte 1--Goalkeeper Mike Labeda made six saves, including two acrobatic stops in the 55th minute, and even assisted on the game-winning goal to help Laguna Beach (19-6-2) into the championship game for the second consecutive year.

Spencer Herbert scored twice and Brian Roark scored the go-ahead goal in the first half for the second-seeded Artists.