El Camino Real Fit to Be Tied Against Hart

While Hart High players walked off the field relieved Tuesday, midfielder Ian Kogan of El Camino Real clenched his fists, stomped his feet and let out a roar.

Kogan’s antics were understandable.

The midfielder had helped El Camino Real outplay Hart but had nothing to show for it except a 0-0 tie when the defending City champions failed to finish several scoring opportunities.

“It’s frustrating,” Kogan said. “We played a good game. We were dominating. It was just a matter of finishing.”

For a team that has played only two games, El Camino Real (1-0-1), ranked No. 1 in the region by The Times, was in midseason form.

Long-ball counter-attacks by Hart (7-2-1) kept the Conquistadors on their heels in the first half, but the Indian offense was limited to midfielder Jose Ochoa.

Ochoa accounted for four of Hart’s six first-half shots. All of his shots sailed over the crossbar but he nearly scored twice: once on a free kick in the 17th minute and on a shot from 20 yards in the 21st.

El Camino Real had chances late in the first half. Yan Falkinstein’s shot beat goalkeeper Kyle Reynish of Hart but rolled barely outside the left post in the 19th minute. Shawn Simons’ shot from three yards was blocked by Reynish less than two minutes later.

El Camino Real dominated the second half taking eight of their 14 shots before Hart’s first shot came in the 62nd minute on a diving header by Jared Bazar.

“We played back on our heels,” Hart Coach Ron Lindberg said. “Most of the time other coaches say we ran them into the ground, but we didn’t do that. They were better controlling the midfield. I think out guys are tired from the tournament.”

Hart played seven games in as many days and five players played for the first time since coming from the Indians’ Southern Section Division III football champions.

The Indians, fresh from winning the Rebel Kickoff tournament in Bakersfield, appeared tired and the Conquistadors pinned the Indians in their half of the field.

In the first seven minutes of the second half, Jason Burbidge blasted a shot from 40 yards that Reynish saved, Gianni Facios’ bending shot from the top of the 18-yard box barely missed the right post and Jason Laras’ shot hit the post.

“I can’t ask any more from these kids,” Coach David Hussey of El Camino Real said. “They created opportunities. It was unlucky. Maybe we need to work on some finishing drills in practice. We are just warming up. We’re only going to get better.”

Laras missed an open net in the 53rd, Mauricio Ocampos’ shot landed into the hands of Reynish three minutes later and Reynish made a diving save on Miguel Bamacas’ shot in the 66th.

The Conquistadors finished with 24 shots.