Woodbridge Strikes Fast, Then Depends on Defense

Top-seeded Woodbridge scored 80 seconds into the game on a goal by Ashkahn Moayedi and then turned the game over to its defense, which held on for a 1-0 victory over third-seeded Riverside Poly in the Southern Section Division II boys’ soccer championship game Saturday in front of about 1,200 at La Mirada High.

The defensive stars were goalkeeper Doug Allan, who notched his 20th shutout of the season, sweeper Kevin Friedland and defender Eric Jensen, who marked Poly’s striker Jesus Ochoa.

“The second half seemed like it took forever,” Allan said. “Every 30 seconds, I looked up at the clock.”

The section title is Woodbridge’s second, but first outright. In 1995, the Warriors tied Alta Loma, 1-1, for the Division III title.

“This is great,” Allan said. “It brought tears to my eyes out there [during the awards ceremony.]”

Allan didn’t need to make any difficult saves and he was only credited with four. But he made the game’s biggest defensive play just four minutes after Moayedi scored.

Ochoa took a through ball, got behind the defense and dribbled toward Allan. Instead of coming out to challenge Ochoa, Allan kept his distance and Ochoa shanked a right-footed shot that sailed well right of the goal.

“I was playing it safe,” Allan said. “Technically that isn’t a save, but I forced him to shoot it wide.”

Said Woodbridge Coach Jon Szczuka: “Those two plays [by Moayedi and Allan] showed how we had a lot more composure from the beginning.”

Jensen, who missed most of the season because of a leg injury he suffered during football season, made sure Allan didn’t have to make any more big plays by keeping Ochoa away from the ball.

Woodbridge (25-1-2) had five more shots than Poly, 15-10, but the only one the Warriors needed came from Moayedi on a vertical pass from Spencer George.

“Spencer put the ball over the top and I took a quick look and saw the keeper was charging at me,” Moayedi said. “Once he took one step, I knew if I got it over him it would go in. When it went in that net, it was the greatest feeling.”