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Fullerton’s Luis Cervantes and Sunny Hills’ Henry Garcia go head-to-head for the ball Friday. (Photos courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone).
After Friday’s 2-1 Freeway League victory over visiting Fullerton, Sunny Hills High School boys soccer Coach Mike Schade took a walk down Memory Lane.
“I’m not sure of the last time we beat them twice,” Schade said after his Lancers edged the Indians for the second time this season.
“From 2014/15 to 2019/20 we won the Freeway League five out of six years but I don’t think we ever beat them twice. We have won one and tied one, split, and lost both.”
Early in Friday’s match it appeared that trend would continue after the Indians’ talented Luis Cervantes got behind the Sunny Hills defense, took a pass from Ken Flores and put the ball in the net for a 1-0 Fullerton lead.
To see the slide show, click on the first photo:
Knowing the history of the series, the goal seemed hugely significant.
But Sunny Hills, which is 15-0-3 on the season didn’t fade.
The Lancers evened the score 30 minutes into the first half when Issac Morales set up Matthias Brown for a clear shot and the reigning CIF Division 3 Player of the Year evened the score.
And Morales and Brown weren’t done. Five minutes into the second half Morales again got the ball to Brown and the skilled senior scored again. It was Morales’ 10th assist of the season and Brown’s 19th goal. Morales also has eight goals and is gifted with his speed and ball handling skills.
“Issac does make us more difficult to defend,” Schade said, “and with the added attacking threat it takes pressure off us defensively.”
And it’s defense where the Lancers excel.
“Our defense is really a team defense,” Schade said. “The players have committed to everyone pressing, therefore limiting the shots on our goal. Captain Daniel Park, a valuable midfielder, has moved to defender, and Henry Garcia is playing deeper in the midfield than last season.”
David Rezko is playing midfielder rather than striker giving us size in the midfield.
“Against Fullerton, Tyler Ip moved back to defender to play against Fullerton’s Flores. We have also received great defense from seniors Brayden Weimholt and Edwin Benavidez,” Schade said.
The Lancers have played 18 games, allowing 11 goals and recording eight shutouts. AJ Sandoval, who had a spectacular save in Friday’s match, has played nine full games, including the last four, and has allowed five goals, recording five shutouts.
While Sunny Hills has defeated Fullerton twice in league there is a plausible possibility the teams will meet again, in the CIF playoffs. The Lancers, ranked 15th nationally and fifth in California, are the No. 3 the team in the CIF Division 1-2 ratings and Fullerton (13-3-2) is eighth.
Friday’s match was Sunny Hills’ first on its home field this season. The Lancers’ have a replanted natural grass field and the recurrent rains for the last six weeks have left the field unavailable.
There was uncertainty that Friday’s match would be played there as well and although the track around the field resembled a moat, the field was soft but had little impact on the outcome of the game.
Because first round games had to be juggled, it is yet to be determined where this week’s matches with La Habra (Wednesday) and Buena Park (Friday) will be played.
—Courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone
