La Cañada Flintridge — Expect the Mission League soccer race to once again be ultra-competitive.
That’s the message St. Francis Coach Glen Appels shared with his players leading up to Wednesday’s league-opening match against visiting Crespi.
St. Francis kicked off league action on the right note, getting two goals from Christian Ibarra and seven saves from goalkeeper Michael Bazarevitsch to post a 4-0 victory at Friedman Field.
“That’s the thing with our league is that any team has a chance at beating another team, so you have to be ready to go,” said Appels, whose team rallied to take third in league last season and reached the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs. “It’s big to start off league with a win and we like the way we’ve been playing the last couple of weeks because we are getting contributions from a lot of people.
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St. Francis’ Liam Snashall just misses heading the ball off of a cross in front of the Crespi goal in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Scott Cross, right, battles Crespi’s Andrew Angarano for the ball in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Riley Baz hugs teammate Christian Ibarra after scoring the first goal of the game against Crespi in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Riley Baz and Crespi’s Andrew Angarano jump for a head ball in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Nicholas Maldonado cuts away from Crespi defender Matthew Gomez in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ goalie Michael Bazarevitsch drops to the pitch to make another of many saves in the game against Crespi in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Nicholas Maldonado, on right, battles with Crespi’s Michael Salerno who has Maldonado’s jersey as they compete for the ball in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Scott Cross jumps in front of Crespi’s Gabriel Elizondo to prevent a pass in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Riley Baz steals the ball from Crespi’s Dustin Lettera in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ goalie Michael Bazarevitsch, after a pinball-like play in front of the St. Francis goal, protects the ball on the ground after a missed opportunity by Crespi in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Liam Snashall and Crespi’s Andrew Angarano jump for a head ball in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Riley Baz and Crespi’s Andrew Angarano jump for a head ball in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Michael Guzman chest traps the ball away from Crespi in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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A pileup in the Crespi goal after St. Francis’ Conor McGrory scored a goal in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Conor McGrory touches the ball into the Crespi goal to score in a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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St. Francis’ Scott Cross heads the ball away from Crespi defender Shane Heddingin a Mission League boys’ soccer game at St. Francis High School on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
“Crespi had a few scoring chances in the first half and we were fortunate none of them went in. We also created some good looks and we continued to get the ball across the box.”
Ibarra, a senior forward, helped get the Golden Knights (6-2-2) off to a good start in the fourth minute. Riley Baz lined a shot flush off the crossbar. The ball bounced directly to Ibarra, who headed the rebound past Crespi goalkeeper Matthew Lepire to make it 1-0.
“I saw Riley shoot and I thought the ball was going in,” Ibarra said. “Then it hit the crossbar and I made a run to the ball. I was a little surprised.
“We talked before the game about making an effort to start strong and be able to compete hard for balls.”
St. Francis extended its lead to 2-0 in the 12th minute. A direct kick by Liam Snashall bounced inside the box from about 40 yards and Conor McGrory deflected the ball past the goal line in front of a throng of players.
Bazarevitsch denied Crespi (4-4) by making two big saves in the first half. He deflected a shot over the crossbar by Michael Salerno in the 30th minute before stopping Salerno again about five minutes later.
Bazarenitsch played the first 72 minutes before Sean Hovland completed the shutout.
“Crespi has got a lot of good players, so I needed to be sharp,” Bazarevitsch said. “I think we were all focused coming into the game.
“It’s the first league game and you want to make a good impression.”
The Golden Knights, fresh off advancing to the semifinals of the Southern California Winter Classic near San Diego last week, got second-half goals from Ibarra and Colton Ramirez.
Ibarra made it 3-0 when he converted on a rebound off his initial shot in the 48th minute. Ramirez closed out the scoring in the 69th minute.
St. Francis and Crespi will meet again at 5 p.m. Jan. 27 at Crespi.
Charles Rich was a sports writer for the Glendale News-Press, Burbank Leader and La Cañada Valley Sun. He started covering area high school and college sports in 2000. Rich grew up in Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., and graduated from Cal State Northridge.
