Hughes heats up in victory for Harbor View

Rick Devereux

A cooling breeze whisked through the fields at the Costa Mesa Farm

Sports Complex Tuesday in the opening round of pool play for the boys

third- and fourth-grade gold division in the Daily Pilot Cup. But

that breeze wasn’t enough to cool red-hot Chandler Hughes from

scoring four consecutive goals to lead his Harbor View team to a 7-2

victory over Kaiser.

Hughes’ first goal, a deflection off a Kaiser defender at the

start of the second half, gave Harbor View its first lead of the

game. His next two goals looked like instant replays with each

finding the lower left corner of the net. Hughes’ final tally of the

game, which gave Harbor View a commanding 6-2 advantage, came off a

Kristofer Picarelli assist.

The game began in a defensive struggle with neither team able to

capitalize on various scoring chances. Shane Truelove made a

fingertip save for Kaiser early in the first half to keep the game

scoreless.

Jake Turner worked the right sideline, taking on three Harbor View

defenders, before he emerged with the ball and centered to Brice

Manning, who gave Kaiser an early lead. Grady Howe took the ball down

for Harbor View after play had resumed and scored on a deflection off

a Kaiser player to tie the game, 1-1. Manning gave Kaiser the lead

moments before the first half ended after he collected a long pass

and broke away from defenders for a one-on-one opportunity with the

goaltender.

Harbor View tied the contest, 2-2, at the start of the second half

when Connor Morrill found the ball inside the 18-yard box. He turned

and fired a precise shot into the top-left corner of the goal. After

Hughes’ four goals, Howe netted his second of the game near the

top-left corner of the net, capping Harbor View’s scoring.

“We really gelled in that second half,” Harbor View Coach Terry

Nemnich said. “We knew we had a good half dozen or so real fast, good

defenders, but we haven’t played together so it took awhile for us to

come together.”

Kaiser still has high hopes for the rest of the games despite the

opening setback.

“I thought we played a good first game and real good first half,”

Kaiser coach Bill Lewis said. “We got to know what tournament play is

all about.”