Boys soccer: Sailors shocked by Hawks

Tony Altobelli

NEWPORT BEACH - Murphy’s Law kicked Newport Harbor High’s boys

soccer team right in the teeth Wednesday afternoon.

Everything that could go wrong, went wrong for the host Sailors as they

lost to Laguna Hills, 2-0.

Not only did Newport (6-7-4, 2-1-3 in league) lose its first Sea View

League match of the year and Laguna Hills win its first Sea View match,

but crushing leg injuries to key players will make Friday’s road clash

with front-running Woodbridge an even bigger challenge.

“Devastating,” a dejected Coach Matt West said afterward. “Laguna Hills

just wanted it more today. We started off slow and we never recovered.”

Ryan Hernandez (lower right leg) and Kevin Yoches (left ankle), both key

players to Newport’s success, went down with injuries late in the second

half. Their status for Friday’s contest is, at best, very doubtful.

“We’re going to have to reevaluate our situation and go from there,” West

said. “We’re a group of veteran players and we’re going to have to bounce

back big from this. I think we can.”

Neither team had many opportunities to score in the first half, but it

was obvious that Laguna Hills (4-12-3, 1-4-1) was in control.

“Laguna Hills dominated every facet of the game against us,” West said.

“I told our players at half about pride, desire and the will to win.

That’s what got us to this point.”

The Sailors used the pep talk and managed to produce some scoring

opportunities early in the second half, but goalie Eric Reed was up to

the challenge.

Laguna Hills broke out in front when the Sailors were called for a foul

in the goal area. Martin Rocha found the upper-left corner of the goal on

the penalty kick in the 53rd minute, giving Laguna Hills a 1-0 lead.

On the very next offensive attack, Darren Doi, Laguna Hills’ go-to guy,

streaked ahead of the pack on a breakaway and found the lower-right

corner in the 56th minute, putting the game away.

Tyson Wahl, Kevin Campos and Trey Meek each had opportunities to score

for Harbor, but their shots sailed just wide of the goal.

“We definitely had our chances out there,” West said. “We just didn’t

make the best of them.”

All is not lost in Sailorland, however. Despite the setback, Newport

still remains in playoff position, though the injuries to Hernandez and

Yoches, won’t make the Sailors’ task any easier.

“This is the kind of team where if something goes wrong, it brings them

closer together,” West said. “We’re still in a good position. We’re just

gonna have to keep our head up and battle hard against Woodbridge.”

Friday’s clash with the Warriors will be at 3:15 p.m.

At home, Newport managed to overcome a two-goal deficit against

Woodbridge Jan. 14 and escaped with a 3-3 tie.

“We need to take what we’ve learned this season and apply that knowledge

to Friday’s game,” West said. “It’s now gut-check time.”