Lightning Strikes for El Camino Real in Latest Comeback

Just call them the Cardiac Conquistadores.

The label fits for the El Camino Real High boys’ soccer team, which in typical fashion Thursday waited until hope seemed lost before staging a comeback and defeating Reseda in a City Section semifinal.

Trailing, 2-0, with four minutes remaining in regulation time, the Conquistadores scored twice within two minutes to send the game to 30 minutes of scoreless overtime.

El Camino Real then used a 3-2 edge in penalty kicks, with Tony Sangari making the clinching shot, to advance to its second City final in three years.

The third-seeded Conquistadores (20-4-2) will face 13th-seeded Locke at 6 p.m. Saturday at Birmingham High. Locke also advanced on penalty kicks, upsetting top-seeded Banning.

“I thought the game was over after [Reseda] scored twice, but I knew they didn’t have the strongest defense and something could still happen,” said Jeff Soll, who scored El Camino Real’s second goal with three minutes remaining in regulation.

Reseda’s offense, among the most potent in the region, was without standout forward Jesse Servin, who was ejected in a quarterfinal victory over San Pedro, and starter Rosendo Gonzalez, who injured a knee early in Thursday’s game and did not return.

Despite missing key players, the Regents (23-4-2), defending City champions, held a 17-8 shot advantage in regulation and dominated in stretches. The game might have been a rout if not for the superb play of El Camino Real goalkeeper Karl Mayr, who made 13 saves, several on point-blank shots.

Reseda, which defeated El Camino Real in a semifinal last season and in a Hart tournament semifinal in December, opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Oscar Sims headed in his 23rd goal off a free kick by Edwin Miranda.

The Regents took a 2-0 lead with seven minutes remaining in regulation when Kenny Zepeda split two defenders and scored from 10 yards.

Desperate, El Camino Real moved Soll from sweeper to become a third forward. The Conquistadores pulled within 2-1 when Jose Rivera-Otero scored his 15th goal, pouncing on a ball that rolled free from Reseda goalkeeper Franklin Ascencio after he collided with an opponent.

A minute later, Soll found himself at the far left corner of the penalty area and sent a 20-yard, left-footed shot over a screen of defenders and under the crossbar.

“We were determined to hit it at [Ascencio] and crash the net at the end,” said Conquistadore Coach David Hussey, whose team has several comeback victories.

Julio Castillo, Reseda’s co-coach, said his team became complacent.

“We just got into too much of a comfort zone with the lead,” Castillo said.