NHB Black wins title

The North Huntington Beach Black boys Under-10 soccer team showed

little signs of rust from a near four week layoff as they recently

captured their third tournament championship of the season.

By beating rival Long Beach United, 2-0, in the final, NHB won last

weekend’s Canyon Hills 2000 Soccer Invitational.

It was the fourth meeting of the season between the two teams, and the

Black has won all four. The fourth, as the previous three had been, was a

down-to-the-wire affair, as Christian Ramirez scored a controversial goal

past the Long Beach goalkeeper in the final three minutes, and Esteban

Orejel scored on a penalty kick in the final minute.

Ramirez’s shot bounced off the post and came down inside the goal line,

but the Long Beach goalie reached in and pulled the ball out. The center

referee ruled it a save, but the line referee signaled that it was goal,

and the center referee deferred to his linesman.

Orejel’s penalty shot was set up by Chris Velez, who intercepted a Long

Beach throw in and took the ball downfield into the Long Beach penalty

area, where he was fouled.

NHB opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over Canyon Classic, for their

fourth win of the season over the host team. Next came a 2-2 tie with the

Panther Soccer Academy, which was followed by a 7-0 blowout of JUSA Blue.

In that win, Abraham Villon led the Black charge with four goals.

NHB Black will next participate in the Orange United 2000 Invitational

this weekend at the Oaks Polo Fields in San Juan Capistrano. The

tournament will be the final tune up for NHB leading up to the State Cup,

which begins Feb. 5 in Rancho Penasquitos in San Diego County.