The formula is really quite simple for...

The formula is really quite simple for Rea Elementary School’s

success at the Daily Pilot Cup the last three years: love for soccer

and respecting opponents.

“These kids love to play soccer,” Kurt Suhr said before Sunday’s

championship game pitting Rea’s first team against Kaiser’s No. 1

squad in the boys fifth- and-sixth grade soccer division of the

fourth annual Daily Pilot Cup at the Farm Complex. “It is beautiful

soccer to watch.” The Sharks laid claim to Suhr’s sentiments with

four second-half goals to secure a 5-0 shutout for the school’s third

consecutive championship in the division.

But the manner in which the Sharks won was implemented by the

coaches from the beginning.

Suhr, along with the husband-and-wife team of Gannon and Jenny

Burks, began coaching the boys just four weeks ago and regularly

stressed the value of sportsmanship.

At the postgame awards ceremony, where the first- and second-place

teams from all four divisions gathered to receive their medals and

the Cup -- awarded to each champion from the four divisions -- the

Kaiser Co-Coach expressed her appreciation for Rea.

“When they would knock our players down, I could hear them say,

‘Are you OK,’ ” Mello recalled about the Sharks. “I want to thank you

for your politeness.”

“I’m very appreciative they did that,” Gannon Burks said. “We

taught more than soccer ... respecting the game is part of the

sport.”

Rea aced both areas Sunday, claiming its fourth consecutive

shutout in five tournament games. The Sharks allowed two goals in a

4-2 defeat of Mariners Christian in the first game of Pool A play

Wednesday. Rea defeated Harbor Day, 8-0, in a morning semifinal

Sunday.

Kaiser came off a one-and-a-half hour double-shootout contest it

won against Harbor View Sunday morning. The Knights and Harbor View

were tied, 1-1, at the end of regulation before Jake Manning scored

the decisive goal in a 6-5 shootout score.

“We played double penalty kicks in the first game and just ran out

of steam,” Kaiser Co-Coach Chris Ingalls said. “[Rea] is very fast,

well-coached and had good passing.”

Rea outshot Kaiser, 20-3, with 12 of those attempts coming in the

second half.

Jorge Olivas led Rea with three goals in the second half,

constantly streaking down the near sideline to receive crosses.

Olivas gave Rea a 2-0 lead 10 minutes into the second half when

the ball rolled to him after a previous shot deflected off a Kaiser

defender and he promptly booted the ball into the left side of the

net.

Ingalls uttered to Mello, “They can do this, there is still plenty

of time.”

On the ensuing possession, Kaiser midfielder Bobby Okvist crossed

to Danny Ingalls as the duo moved past midfield alongside forward

Mario Figueroa with the urging of Chris Ingalls, Mello and fans. They

wanted the defense to move up the field.

“We tried to throw them offsides and it worked, but it was too

late in the game,” Ingalls said.

When the Sharks weren’t being called for offsides, they were

leading a counterattack upfield, giving Kaiser goalkeeper Wes Shaw

plenty of attention. Shaw made 11 saves and was aided by the defense

of sweeper David Jung along with defenders Dane Sequiera and Scott

Figueroa.

Olivas scored twice more, once on a assist from Juan Gonzales, who

scored 15 minutes into the second half when he knocked in a rebound

from two yards out after Rea belted two prior shots at Shaw.

Jesus Garcia, whom coaches and players refer to as “Chewy,” ran

down the opposite wing as Olivas, centering many passes toward an

area about five yards out from the goal, where a couple of Sharks

were often lurking.

Rea’s Edgar Vega scored the first goal of the game 12 minutes into

the contest when he used his right foot to tap in a rebound off a

shot by Olivas. Rea had five shots following Vega’s goal leading up

to halftime.

Kaiser’s best scoring chance came less then a minute before

halftime when Danny Ingalls led a break past midfield and crossed to

Hedrick on the near side. A Rea defender caught Hedrick in the

corner, but the Knight curled around the left of his opponent and

sent a shot into the side of the net.

“I think we played the same way in both halves, but more shots

fell for us in the second half,” Suhr said. “We maintained ball

control throughout both halves.”

Tenacious defense also added to Rea’s success.

Rodrigo Rubacaba, sweeper Oscar Hernandez and stopper Jonathan

Iraheta all built a wall in front of goalkeepers Aran Antunez and

Mario Cuamatzi. Joel Gonzales and Jose Hernandez also led the group

of five defenders.

“[Rubacaba] is our smartest player,” Gannon Burks said.

Christian Celis, Genaro Lopez, Christopher Medina, Enrique Ocampo,

and Kevin Madriaga gave Rea many options during its championship run.

Kaiser also featured Matt Mello, Daniel Netzer, Corey Bell-Wheelans,

Jay Ordaz and Will Munoz, whom Leisha Mello said scored 90% of the

team’s goals throughout the tournament.

“Last year we got fourth, so we are advancing and we return all

but two players,” said Mello, who celebrated her 37th birthday

Sunday.

Rea’s players and coaches could also celebrate Sunday. They doused

each other with bottled water following the victory.

“I am thankful that God has given them this talent and hopefully

they can capitalize on that in the future,” Gannon Burks said.