Local players compete in national tournament

ORANGE — Jesus Garcia of Estancia High scored the game-winning goal for the Irvine Strikers Thursday in a game against Scott Gallagher of St. Louis, Mo.

Garcia scored in the 50th minute for a 1-0 win playing for a team in the Red Bull National League.

RBNL is a youth club soccer league for the top 18 under-17 boys’ teams in the nation.

The teams play against each other before an audience of coaches and scouts, and the league consists of three weekend-long tournaments. The tournaments lead up to the playoffs for the RBNL championship title, which take place next spring.

All teams will play three games per weekend, with standings based on a general point system. Teams get three points for a win, one for a tie, zero for a loss.

Nomads SC of La Jolla won the first RBNL title last season when it defeated Arsenal FC of Alta Loma.

Garcia will play today against the Concorde Fire of Atlanta at 1:30 p.m. at McPherson Magnet School in Orange.

Jorge Olivas, who also plays soccer for Estancia, scored a goal in the 73rd minute for Pateadores Futbol Club Thursday. They defeated FC of Greater Boston 4-1.

The Estancia boys’ soccer team won the Orange Coast league title last season, finishing 7-2-0 in league and 11-5-5 overall.

Corona del Mar High’s Bryan Yasakochi also plays for the Pateadores of Mission Viejo. Last year, the Sea Kings went 9-11-2 and reached the CIF Southern Section Division III quarterfinals.

The Pateadores play the Atlanta Fire United at 11 a.m.

— From staff reports