Second-Ranked Santa Ana Clinches Share of Golden West Soccer Title

Santa Ana clinched at least a tie for its fourth Golden West League boys’ soccer title in five years with a 2-1 victory Wednesday at Servite.

The second-ranked Saints (14-4-4, 7-1-1) were beaten on their home field last month by Servite, but they returned the favor and denied the fourth-ranked Friars (20-5-3, 7-2-1) a chance to win their first league title in their last year in the Golden West.

If Santa Ana beats or ties Ocean View on Friday in a rain makeup at Santa Ana, it will clinch the title outright. If it loses, it would fall into a three-way tie with Saddleback and Servite.

“They gained our respect by winning at our home field, and I hope we got theirs by winning on theirs,” said Santa Ana forward Hector Candelas, who scored his eighth league goal 20 minutes in with a 30-yard direct free kick. “We needed to get out and score quick to take some of their emotion away.”

Servite tied it just before half when Matt Terry crossed a ball that John Trejo volleyed past Santa Ana goalkeeper Daniel Morales. Santa Ana midfielder Israel Lazo scored the game-winning goal with 17 minutes left when he took an errant clearing pass and beat goalkeeper James Towers in the upper left corner.

“I think there was some miscommunication there,” Candelas said. “They let the ball go and luckily we finished.”