Sea Kings shut out Lightning

Bryce Alderton

Before Wednesday’s nonleague boys soccer game, Sage Hill High

Coach Noureddine El Alam said Corona del Mar would be one of the

toughest opponents the Lightning face this season.

The Sea Kings (4-1) played the part with their experience and

quickness, giving the Lightning (4-1-1) its first loss of the season

in shutout fashion, 7-0, at CdM High.

Corona scored five second-half goals to break the game open.

Corona junior forwards Julien Cerutti and Danny Whitaker each scored

two goals with Brandon Barrett, Chris Ringstrom and Ryan Tamez

tallying single goals for the victors.

CdM fired 44 shots to Sage Hill’s four. Cerutti sent 11 shots on

Lightning goalkeeper Trevor Granger, who made 16 saves before giving

way to Ethan Tanney for the final 10 minutes.

“We didn’t score too many goals in the first half, but we

eventually took advantage of it,” said CdM Coach Pat Callaghan about

Sage Hill’s defensive scheme. “I told them at halftime that (Sage

Hill’s) defenders were packing it in toward the back so we tried to

utilize space to open things up a little more. We concentrated on

more movement and getting the balls in early behind the defense and

bring players in to challenge on goal.”

Callaghan’s strategy paid off in the first minute after halftime.

Senior Ryan Tamez, running along the right side of the field toward

the 18-yard box, took a pass kicked from the midfield area and

blasted the ball into the right side of the net to increase Corona’s

cushion to 3-0.

The Sea Kings would score 16 minutes later on a 2-on-1 break.

Junior Dominic Rubino crossed left to a wide-open Brandon Barrett

standing at the corner of the 18-yard box and the sophomore

midfielder promptly kicked the ball into the net for a 4-0 Sea King

lead.

Any intensity and determination Sage Hill had to that point was

gone following Barrett’s goal, El Alam said.

“We gave up after their fourth goal and that’s the only thing I’m

worried about,” El Alam said. “(CdM) has great players, but this game

is more psychological than anything else. Usually we put in the best

efforts against the good teams and that was my hope today but it

didn’t happen. This is a good squad and we will do well this season.

The kids like each other.”

Sage Hill junior fullback Braden Barnett shouted words of

encouragement to his teammates despite the 6-0 deficit at one point

in the second half.

“Come on guys let’s not give up,” Barnett said. “We have only a

short time left so let’s make the most of it.”

The Lightning had two scoring chances -- one in each half.

In the 20th minute, the Lightning’s Cesar Arriaga rifled a shot

from 35 yards out that hit the top of the post. Then, freshman

midfielder Zach Milder slid feet-first in an attempt to hit the ball

past CdM goalkeeper Phil Stemler in the 61st minute, but the Sea King

netminder also slid out and grabbed the ball before Milder’s foot

could touch it.

Jordan Salinger made two steals and Erik Mealing along with Kent

Kuran blocked shots in the second half for Sage Hill.

Whitaker scored his second goal in the 78th minute following a

Cerutti corner kick. Cerutti lobbed a pass to 5 yards in front of the

goal where Ringstrom lunged forward to get his head on the ball and

deflected it left to Whitaker. The forward then used his own head to

send the ball past the goalkeeper.

“Our guys worked really hard and continue to do well,” Callaghan

said. “We’re just trying to make strides every time out here.”

Elsewhere in boys soccer Wednesday:

Sailors tie Monarchs

: The Newport Harbor High boys soccer team tied 11-1 Mater Dei,

1-1, in the Sailors’ (2-1) first home game of the season.

Jose Serpas started a break and Matt Tracy finished with a goal

for Newport to go up, 1-0. Mater Dei tied the game on a penalty kick

10 minutes into the game after a call Newport Coach Martyn Hansford

said he couldn’t understand.

The Sailors put up seven shots while Mater Dei had just one.

Sailors’ Coach Martyn Hansford said his team did enough to win.

“The kids ran hard up the field and were very aggressive,”

Hansford said. “I’m disappointed we didn’t use the side players

enough and we could have held onto the ball better.”

John Walker played well at sweeper and Brandon Leffy controlled

the midfield, Hansford added.

Newport returns to action today with a 3:15 p.m. game at Troy.

Estancia, Orange tie

Estancia High and Orange tied their Golden West League opener,

1-1, at Estancia High.

The Eagles’ Luis Mendoza netted his goal in the 51st minute which was followed by Orange’s Arthur Lopez scoring on a cross in the 63rd

minute.

Both teams finished two 10-minute overtime periods tied.

Estancia goalkeeper Eddie Rubalcava stopped three shots for the

Eagles (3-3-1, 0-0-1 in the Golden West League.

A few Eagles played despite being sick such as Javier Milan and

Jason Cassidy, said Estancia Coach Steve Crenshaw.

“We didn’t play well,” Crenshaw said. “We were flat from the

start.”

The Eagles host Ocean View Friday in a Golden West League game.