Victory for Los Alamitos

It was a goal worthy of a boys’ soccer game between the No. 3- and No. 6-ranked teams in the nation. It came in the final seconds of the first half and proved to be the difference in Los Alamitos’ 1-0 victory over Irvine Woodbridge in the Southern Section Division II championship game Saturday night at La Mirada High.

Ryan Gay, a slightly built sophomore who played in only three games at the varsity level during the regular season, hooked a right-footed shot into the left corner of the goal from 30 yards out to help top-seeded Los Alamitos (27-1-1) win its second section title and first since winning the 2-A championship in 1992.

“I saw it in the air and it dropped,” said Gay, who entered the game as a substitute with about 15 minutes left in the first half. “Once it did that, I said, ‘It’s going in the goal.’ That was the happiest moment of my life.”

It was the third goal of the season for Gay, who did not play in the second half.

Woodbridge (25-3), the second-seeded team in the division and No. 6-ranked team in the nation by Student Sports magazine, appeared to tie the score on a goal by Eric Ebert with about nine minutes left in the second half, but it was disallowed because of the an offsides call.

Woodbridge, which had not been shut out this season until Saturday, nearly scored in the final minute of play, but a shot by Beckham Thomas was knocked away inches from the goal line by goalkeeper Geremy Uhl.

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Quartz Hill 0, Lawndale Leuzinger 0-- The scoreless tie gave both teams a share of their first Division I title, but each side would have preferred that the game at La Mirada be decided in overtime or by penalty kicks instead of being called after two 40-minute halves.

“Probably later it will feel better,” said Kiel McClung of second-seeded Quartz Hill.

Leuzinger (17-4-2), which upset top-seeded Alta Loma, 1-0, in the semifinals, had two great scoring opportunities in the first half, but was unable to convert them.

Quartz Hill (28-0-2), the No. 12-ranked team in the nation by Student Sports magazine, controlled the pace of the game for most of the second half but failed to score.

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Placentia El Dorado 2, Santa Ana Mater Dei 1--The Golden Hawks scored twice in the second half to win the program’s first section title in the Division III game at La Mirada.

El Dorado (18-6-3), second to La Palma Kennedy in Empire League play during the regular season, trailed, 1-0, at halftime. But the Golden Hawks tied the score two minutes into the second half when sophomore Vince Case scored off a crossing pass from Ryan Reott.

El Dorado scored the game-winning goal 16 minutes later when Brandon Taylor took a crossing pass from Greg Reese and beat Mater Dei goalkeeper Nathan Pena with a left-footed shot into the left corner of the net.

Mater Dei (22-3-5), which won the Division II title last year after sharing it with Huntington Beach Edison in 2000, took a 1-0 lead late in the first half on a goal by sophomore Scott Corbin.

John Ortega

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Irvine Northwood 2, La Verne Bonita 1--Benny Feilhaber scored in the 18th minute and Tim Tidwell in the 62nd as the unseeded Timberwolves won the Division IV final at Gahr High, giving Northwood its first Southern Section team championship in its third year of existence and second of varsity competition.

Travis Page scored for the top-seeded Bearcats (23-3-2) 21 seconds after Tidwell’s goal.

Feilhaber scored off Garret McClelland’s assist. Robert Garcia began the scoring sequence on Tidwell’s goal by sending a corner kick to Gabe Schneider, who headed the ball to Tidwell’s feet.

The Timberwolves (17-4-5) led 19-11 in shots, with both teams taking seven shots on goal. Bonita goalkeeper Billy Medlock made six saves, while Northwood goalkeeper Mike Giese made five.

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Laguna Beach 2, Fillmore 1--Sophomore forward Pablo Hernandez scored off Ryan Wolfe’s assist in the 63rd minute as the Artists won the Division V final at Gahr High.

Sergio Lara headed in Fabian Elias’ free kick in the 51st minute for the Flashes (14-5-5), who were playing in their first Southern Section final.

Austen Ezzell headed in Scott Youngstead’s throw-in for a 15th-minute goal for Laguna Beach (14-9-3). The Artists defeated three league champions, including top-seeded Pasadena Poly, to reach the final.

Steven Herbert