By Horst Noppenberer, Special to the Independent
Laguna Beach’s boys varsity soccer team posted a 4-1 victory and a tie last week in the opening games of regular season play.
On Friday, Jan. 13, Laguna won against Calvary Chapel in Santa Ana and tied 2-2 against Estancia High School’s Eagles on Wednesday, Jan. 11,
In the match against Calvary, Chris Tellez got the scoring started when he received a well-timed through ball from Reece Barton and sent a stunning shot into the lower, far corner of the Calvary Chapel goal.
Calvary tied the game 1-1 when a loose ball in front of the six yard box was sent into the Breaker net. The Breakers were able to compensate for Calvary’s height advantage by relying on their speed and quickness. The Breakers scored two more goals in quick succession; Barton scored on a back pass from Joseph Rousseau. Then moments later, Chris Tellez used his speed to get around the defensive seam and hit a cracking shot into the Calvary goal from the top of the 18 yard box.
The Breakers put the game out of reach in the second half when mid-fielder Miguel Jaimes, returning from an injury, went shoulder to shoulder with a Calvary defender and muscled his way into enough space to send a strike past the Calvary keeper into the net.
The Breakers scored against Estancia after a clearly rattled Eagle goal keeper bobbled a ball in front of the box and Reece Barton came charging in to blast the ball into the back of the Eagle net.
The Eagles tied the game when the Breakers’ defense failed to clear a loose ball at the top of the 18 yard box. Still undaunted, the Breakers went up 2 to 1 when Pearce Neal received a corner kick by Tellez and sent a glancing header beyond the outstretched arms of the Eagle keeper. The Breakers appeared to score yet another goal just before the first half ended when Rousseau weaved through several Eagle defenders and one on one with the Eagle keeper, struck a shot off the outside of his left foot into the corner of the goal. However, the referee called this goal back, indicating that the Rousseau touched the ball with his hand.
Second half action began with barrage of Estancia shots on goal. Goalkeeper Alec Williams’ first save was on a thundering shot from point blank range which he smothered with his body. His second big save was on another shot tipped over the cross bar. With seconds remaining in the game, Estancia tied it up with a header off a well placed cross.
With the Calvary victory, the Breakers remain undefeated in League play and improve their overall record to 5-1-3.
Horst Noppenberger is a local parent.