Ventura and Buena Help Create Logjam in Channel

The Channel League is the premier boys soccer league in the region, but unfortunately only three of the five teams in the league will qualify for the postseason.

Buena and Ventura highs played as if they don’t want to be left out, battling to a 1-1 tie Thursday in Ventura.

“It’s kind of scary” said Coach Todd Tackett of Ventura. “We may not make the playoffs.

Three teams from a league seems kind of harsh when you take into account the caliber of competition.

Buena and Ventura are joined by San Marcos and Santa Barbara as contenders. After the first round of league play only one game separates first through fourth place.

Although the majority of the game was played between the 18-yard boxes, the teams traded control the game, with Ventura gaining momentum in the first half and Buena taking over in the second.

“Those guys did well,” said Coach Sean Roche of Buena. “They took the game to us. They capitalized on whatever mist was still in our eyes. Give Ventura respect, they worked very, very hard.”

Ventura (14-1-6,1-0-3 in league play) scored in the 13th minute.

Midfielder Brian Anderson ran free of defenders and dribbled to the top of the 18-yard box before slipping a shot past goalkeeper Steve Howard of Buena, who charged out of his box.

“I was on a breakaway and I saw him come out and I just put it away,” said Anderson. “I knew when I touched it, it was going in.

Ventura held Buena (12-4-4, 2-0-2) to two shots in the first half, but both could have easily scored.

The first took a diving save from goalkeeper Justin Carter on Brad Workman’s shot from 20 yards and Jason Bradbury hit the post with three minutes left in the half.

Buena regrouped at halftime and switched from attacking down the middle to attacking on the wings.

“I knew we couldn’t go down the middle, because that’s where their strength is,” Roche said.

Buena’s adjustments didn’t take long to pay off.

Workman tied the game with a shot from 20 yards in the 46th minute. After a long clearance by a Buena defender, four players tried to win the ball out of the air. It bounced into the goalbox and Workman finished the play.

“That was a tough goal to give up,” Tackett said.

Chris Parkin, Buena’s top forward, was out because of a red card suspension and midfielder Mike Enfield of Ventura missed his fifth consecutive game to play with the under-18 National team in Chile.