Mariners move on to semis

COSTA MESA ? Mariners Christian forward Jack McBean didn’t have much to say after Saturday’s 3-1 Daily Pilot Cup quarterfinal win in the boys’ fifth-and sixth-grade Gold Division.

“Only on the field, and in class,” he quipped.

The Dolphins’ play on the field said plenty, as they were one step quicker to the ball most of the day against Pegasus School.

McBean scored nine minutes into the game, taking a long shot from the left side that hit Pegasus goalie Grant Frazier and bounced in.

Frazier played a solid game himself by saving 13 shots ? most of them of the hard variety.

Mariners Christian would strike again, however, seven minutes later on an unlikely goal. Stopper Derek Dellinger’s ball from near midfield bounced high in the air, over Frazier and in for a 2-0 lead.

“Most of the kids play club soccer, and most of them just never stop,” said Dolphin Coach Phil Miller. “It makes me exhausted just watching them.”

But Pegasus quickly struck back in the 17th minute, when Matt Franchini’s long shot found the back of the net to cut the deficit in half.

“We played against a good Mariners team, but I thought we held our own,” said Thunder Coach Tom Roche. “We exceeded expectations to get this far.”

Pegasus got a bad break late in the first half, when Greg Allen’s cross was accidentally knocked into the team’s goal by a Pegasus defender. The mishap gave Mariners Christian a 3-1 halftime lead it never relinquished.

Pegasus did have its chances in the second half. Conor Roche’s hard shot was blocked early on, and Brian Team’s shot was just wide left late in the game.

The contest also got more physical the longer the game ran, but nothing got out of hand.

“Once one person does it, it goes on another person and just keeps on building,” said Dolphin midfielder Brent Lawson of the pushing. “It just gets fired up.”

Daniel Gills and Allen combined for five saves in goal for Mariners Christian. Also contributing for the Dolphins were forward Timmy Root, midfielders Luke Langdon and Connor Cruse, defenders Chris Sheppard and Daniel Toberty and Steven Miller, Robert Gordon and Madding Jackson.

Cort Hastings, Blake Myers and Brian Tallichet were active all game long for Pegasus. Also helping the Thunder were Chris Barkhordar, Nick Storm, Axel Eaton, Max Johnson, Matthew Rogoff, Dylan Pievac, Stephen Michaelsen, Sloan Varing, Stephano Nark, Daniel Anastos and Blake Allen.

Coach Roche said the Huntington Beach-based Thunder, in their first year of Pilot Cup action, had a great time.

“Thanks to the tournament for letting us in,” he said. “We had a blast and we’ll be back next year.”

Mariners Christian moves on to the semifinals at 9 a.m. today on Farm field No. 2. The Dolphins will face Harbor Day ? a team they beat, 3-1, in pool play ? for a berth in the 12:30 p.m. championship game.

“We’ll have to see how we do against Rea, if we ever get to play them,” Miller said.

Rea and TeWinkle square off in the other semifinal. The Sharks are five-time defending division champions.dpt.04-dpcup-1-CPhotoInfoN11RKTPV20060604j0bewgncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Pegasus’ Daniel Anastos, right, heads the ball as Mariners Christian’s Jack McBean, left, looks on during Saturday’s Boys 5-6 Gold Division quarterfinal.