El Toro’s Good Luck Finally Runs Out

Scoreless at halftime with third-seeded Los Angeles Loyola, El Toro appeared primed for another miracle. But El Toro’s defense, which had posted three consecutive shutouts, had two major breakdowns in the second half as Chargers fell to Loyola, 2-1, in the Southern Section Division I boys’ soccer final at Cerritos Gahr High Friday night before 1,500.

Loyola (28-3) scored both goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half, the first coming on an own goal and the second on a shot by Loyola defender Greg Zelenay that went through goalkeeper Josh Saunders’ legs.

El Toro, a wild-card team that had knocked off four league champions and one seeded team, scored on a short volley by midfielder Ryan Kenyon 30 seconds before the game ended.

“I think the kids feel like they gave up a couple of cheap goals,” El Toro Coach Ken Sjobom said. “That’s what hurts.”

Loyola had outplayed El Toro in the first half but had nothing to show for it.

“We were a little nervous because we know they had been winning a lot of games, 1-0,” said Zelenay, whose goal was his first of the season.

Said Loyola Coach Carlos Leon: “We didn’t generate a good look in the first half and you have to credit El Toro for that. We weren’t passing very well. We just needed to relax and get the ball out wider away from their smothering defense.”

Loyola did just that two minutes into the second half, swinging the ball wide to forward Trevor Mutch. When Saunders came out to challenge Mutch on the right wing, Mutch tapped it toward the goal. Defender Ryan Dooley caught up with it five yards in front of the goal, but deflected it into the net as he was trying to clear it.

“It was a 50-50 ball,” Leon said. “He had to take a shot at it or it would have gone in.”

Eight minutes later, Loyola had the ball on the right wing again. Zelenay booted it on the ground from 12 yards away and Saunders was unable to stop it.

“Right when I shot it, [Loyola midfielder] Jorge Torres ran in front of [Saunders] obstructed him from seeing,” Zelenay said.

Said El Toro assistant Brian Riggs: “Those were just a couple of unlucky goals. Those things happen in soccer.”

Loyola dominated much of the second half, outshooting El Toro 10-3 as the Chargers’ defenders struggled to keep up with Loyola forward Mutch, who took five of Loyola’s 14 shots. Two of Mutch’s shots were stopped by Saunders on diving saves.

“We knew he was quick, but not that quick,” Sjobom said.

El Toro’s counter-attacking offense could generate only four shots on goal. Forward Julian Gaitan, who scored 17 of El Toro’s 35 goals, did not get a shot on goal and rarely touched the ball inside of 25 yards.

“They were a little more skilled than what we thought, particularly in the back,” Sjobom said. “That’s a great team. They kept the pressure on us.”

Loyola’s section title is the first for the boys’ soccer program. El Toro began its season by losing eight of its first nine games. The Chargers were seconds away from being eliminated in the wild-card round, but they scored with seconds left against Santa Ana Valley to send it into overtime.

“It was certainly a Cinderella story,” Sjobom said. “We had a heck of a run. We only play four seniors, so we’ll be back.”