Prep2Prep FINAL CCS Boys Soccer Playoff Brackets
UPDATED 3/5/2013
Archbishop Mitty proved that the best defense often emerges from simply not letting the opponent touch the ball. The Monarchs were not
always dominant in their run through the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs, but they were near impossible to score against.
And when the opposition did manage to create even half a scoring chance, goalkeeper Ryan Foo was there to snuff it out, as he did
so decisively in the semifinal match against Leigh to deny Matt Vargas what looked like a certain game-winning goal in
overtime.
As it turned out, Mitty did not concede a single goal in CCS play en route to the championship. The midfield trio of Shane Luna,
Eric Espinoza and Andres Ochoa was especially dominant in the 2-0 win over Lincoln in the final, keeping pressure off the back line all day.
Foo was really only called upon very late, when the result was no longer in serious jeopardy.
In Division I, Alisal continued its amazing run with a 3-1 victory over an excellent Bellarmine squad that held its own against the No. 1
ranked team in CCS all season. The Trojans have now gone 52 matches without a defeat spanning the past two-plus seasons.
Finally, in Division III, Sacred Heart Prep and Menlo proved that not all co-championships are treated equally as the Knights appeared
to be more content with the 1-1 result than the favored Gators, who had defeated Menlo twice during the regular season. We're not sure
how the trophy situation is handled with regard to co-championships, but in any case, the teams won't have very far to travel to pay the
trophy a visit as the distance between the schools can be measured in yards as opposed to miles.
DIVISION I:
For printable bracket, please click
here (PDF).
ALISAL
:
The Trojans have become the envy of soccer programs throughout the Bay Area after capping their amazing run with a CCS title.
While Alisal was not exactly dominant in its 3-1 victory over Bellarmine in the final, it took advantage of a couple of defensive
mistakes to build an early lead and then sat back and defended most of the second half. Lorenzo Vasquez took advantage of the first
Bellarmine mistake, taking advantage of a defender's slip to score the game's first goal midway through the first half.
Alisal doubled its lead just before the break on a defensive breakdown on a set piece which saw defender Juan Iturbe slip free completely
open at the back post. Vasquez delivered the free kick and Iturbe headed it home to make it 2-0. After a penalty kick brought Bellarmine
within 2-1, Willy Miranda, who had a very strong match, capped the scoring with a counterattack goal that initiated the celebrations in Salinas.
“It’s an amazing feeling. I chased the championship all four years and my senior year I made it," Vasquez said. "The fans were going crazy after
we won and it’s all satisfaction right now.”
DIVISION II:
For printable bracket, please click
here (PDF).
ARCHBISHOP MITTY
:
It is often pointed out that in order for a team to win a soccer tournament, there's always that one tossup match it has to get past in order
to hoist the trophy. For Mitty, that match took place in the semifinals against Leigh, which took the Monarchs all the way to penalty kicks
before being shut down by goalkeeper Ryan Foo.
Mitty brought its "A" game in the final, which made things difficult for Lincoln. The Lions often found themselves outnumbered in the midfield
and Mitty was able to get into a possession rhythm. Even though Lincoln did a good job limiting opportunities, it was always going to be difficult
to come back after conceding a goal in the 22nd minute.
“We faced a team that was very good, and we did the same routine we do every game: keep tight in the back, try to control the middle, and keep
possession," Mitty coach Cesar Sanchez said. "It was a great game.”
DIVISION III:
For printable bracket, please click
here (PDF).
SACRED HEART PREP
:
The Gators appeared to be a little disappointed having to share the CCS title with rival Menlo in the immediate aftermath of the match, but
when the dust settles, they will look back at a remarkable run through both the regular season and Division III playoffs. SHP finished the
season with just two losses and captured its first-ever CCS crown in the winter season thanks to a goal from Andrew Segre. Still, the Gators
didn't know quite how to react right after the game.
"I don't know what to feel,” said Gators coach Armando Del Rio. “I didn't even know if I was supposed to hold the trophy. I know our guys
don't feel like it's a CCS championship. At least not yet. I feel like they need some time to digest it."
MENLO SCHOOL
:
The 10th-seeded Knights lost twice to Sacred Heart Prep during the regular season, but they managed to get the result they needed when it mattered
most. Goalkeeper Tim Costa stepped up to take what turned out to be the game-tying penalty kick as the two rivals wound up in a 1-1 draw to share
the Division III title.
"They had the better of our numbers during the season; they won our league," Menlo coach Mark Kerrest said. "But we focused for CCS. We knew that CCS
was the second chance for us and we did well to get to the finals. I think it was a hard fought game and it feels weird to end in a tie like
that but it seems like it was a fair result."
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