Laguna boys reach area title game

The Laguna Beach boys’ 12-and-Under AYSO soccer team advanced to the division championship match of the Area 11-L playoffs where the locals fell to Lake Forest following a dramatic shootout session Wednesday at Laguna Niguel Sports Park.

Laguna advanced to the area tournament after winning the Region 86 playoff tournament. Coach Danny Melita’s squad defeated teams from San Juan Capistrano, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel before turning back San Clemente in the semifinal round.

“They were complete over-achievers,” Melita said in regards to his successful squad members. “These kids believed in themselves. They typically won by out-working every team they played. We passed the ball well and worked hard. Our team motto was to work hard.”

In the final, neither Laguna or Lake Forest was able to score in regulation. In the first half, Laguna’s offensive line, led by Dustin Owen, and playmaker Noah Radach, held a steady attack against a Lake Forest defense that had shut out three of its four area playoff opponents. Barrett Thornton proved to be control under the intensity of the game, Sundance Severino made crucial stops on defense and the Payne brothers, Matthew and Dylan, continually aided the Laguna defense.

Cole Kessler’s play in the net also was crucial to Laguna’s ability to shut out Lake Forest in regulation play.

Jake Tidd, whose defensive contributions during the playoffs helped fuel Laguna, was sidelined for the match due to illness.

In the second half, the play of Will Pennington, Max Brown, Jared Green, Donovan Kelly, Joe Melita and Bryce Williamson, kept the pressure on Lake Forest until the end of regulation to send the match into a shootout.

In the shootout, Williamson had two saves for Laguna and the Lake Forest goalie had three. Lake Forest emerged the winner following the shootout.

The two teams met at the center of the field after the match to celebrate a tournament that was dedicated to the memory of Victor Vasquez, a 20-year-old former AYSO athlete from Lake Forest who died Nov. 13 from complications related to a heart condition, Danny Melita said.

Andres Vasquez, the father of Victor Vasquez, coached the Lake Forest Team.

“It was a poignant moment,” Melita said. “The two teams had a lot of mutual respect for each other.”

Area 11-L in south Orange County is the single largest area within AYSO. It includes 10 regions and more than 20,000 players. More than 2,000 players competed in the boys’ 12-and- Under division, Melita said.

“To be among the final 30 players left standing in the tournament, is quite an accomplishment for this team,” he said.