Late goal earns Burroughs boys’ soccer share of Pacific League crown
Burroughs High and Crescenta Valley boys’ soccer played to a 1-1 Pacific League tie on Tuesday, which earned the Indians a share of the league title.
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La Crescenta — After a short hiatus, the Burroughs High boys’ soccer team is back atop the Pacific League pillar.
All that remains to be seen is if the Indians will stand alone.
By virtue of a 1-1 tie on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, Burroughs clinched a share of the program’s first league crown in three seasons, while denying host Crescenta Valley a chance to stake its claim.
The deadlock moved Burroughs’ record to 16-4-4 and 10-2-1 in league, which is good for 31 points, with one league match remaining. Second-place Crescenta Valley is now 17-3-4, 8-1-4 in league for 28 points and has one match left.
The only way the Falcons could claim a share of the title is if Crescenta Valley defeats Arcadia (2-7-4 in league) on Thursday and crosstown rival Burbank (0-10-3) upsets Burroughs. Any other combination would result in the Indians claiming an outright championship.
“A lot of the second half was just composure,” Burroughs Coach Michael Kodama said. “The guys have been through a lot all year long and just kind of keeping their shape and keeping the faith in each other.
“That was probably the most important. We got a chance to finish one and it was nice to see that ball go in the goal.”
Burroughs had dropped a tournament contest and its first league match against Crescenta Valley this season by scores of 2-1 and 3-2, respectively.
So, it could have been concerning for the Indians that the Falcons held a 1-0 lead through 60 minutes.
A match’s worth of near-misses finally materialized into a goal for Burroughs, however, in the 68th minute.
The Indians were awarded a free kick near the northern touchline, which was taken by senior Josh Sanchez.
The senior crossed a ball that skipped off the head of a teammate right to senior fullback Richard Alonzo, who headed in a goal past goalie Luis Flores (five saves) from six yards out that equalized the match at 1.
“I was going front post, but No. 8, Cameron Kelly, told me, ‘Go back post, frame the ball, I’m going to get it to you,’” Alonzo said. “He flicked it and I was there. If it wasn’t for him telling me where to go, I don’t have a chance to score.”
The goal was redemption for Alonzo, who only five minutes earlier had an open shot from 15 yards off a pass from Kelly, but was denied on a save from Flores.
Burroughs nearly pulled off a stunning victory when senior forward Anton Prather ripped a 35-yard shot in the final minute that clanked off the cross.
Though the official’s final whistle signaled a tie, the immediate feeling afterward was one of defeat for the Falcons.
“It’s a tie, but let’s be honest, it feels like we lost,” Crescenta Valley Coach Grant Clark. “We played well and we had our chances, but we just didn’t convert. I think it says a lot about both teams’ defenses when both goals come off set pieces.”
Crescenta Valley took a 1-0 lead in the 49th minute when a throw-in from junior midfielder Zander Bakunowski resulted in a point-blank tap in for goal.
Crescenta Valley’s Tomik Baghramian backed down his defender like a basketball player in the post, then spun open and chipped in his team’s lone score to give Crescenta Valley a 1-0 lead.
The goal marked the only time the Falcons finished off a great scoring chance as the squad took four shots from within four yards or shorter, but only converted one.
Maybe the most frustrating opportunity came in the 61st minute when a corner kick from Henry Barkhordarian was tapped past Burroughs goalie Jordan Morgan (five saves) from four yards, but was batted away at the last second by Sanchez.
“That’s soccer,” Clark said. “It’s not always fun or fair, but we’ll keep playing.”
