Mountain View, St. Francis and Gunn boys, Homestead girls win CCS openers in soccer
By Pete Borello, Town Crier Staff Writer
 Joe Hu/Town Crier Mountain View’s Alex Shefveland, right, heads the ball in last week’s CCS opener against Santa Clara. The Spartans won 3-1. |
The Mountain View High boys soccer team last week opened the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs against a familiar opponent - a Santa Clara squad it faced twice in league competition.
While there were several similarities between the playoff game and the SCVAL De Anza Division meetings, it was what the Spartans did differently Feb. 16 that led to their 3-1 victory.
“It was a typical MV-SC game - very physical and very defensive,” Mountain View coach Jim McGuirk said. “The main difference between this game and our 1-0 win and 0-0 tie earlier this season was that we scored early.”
The host Spartans scored twice within the first 20 minutes and held the Bruins scoreless until midway through the second half. Third-seeded Mountain View soon made sure No. 14 Santa Clara didn’t get any closer, notching an insurance goal with seven minutes remaining. The Spartans’ defense did the rest.
“Santa Clara had some good chances the second part of the half, but our defense held tough,” McGuirk said.
Alex Valencia scored Mountain View’s first two goals, both off crosses to the far post. Victor Lopez tallied their other goal on a header off a corner kick.
Mountain View (12-5-4) was scheduled to face No. 6 Live Oak (16-1-5) in the quarterfinals last Saturday after the Town Crier went to press.
In other boys playoff action last week:
• St. Francis’ first CCS game of the decade proved to be a memorable one. The Lancers went to a shootout before beating Menlo 4-3 Feb. 16 in Division II play.
No. 8 St. Francis and No. 9 Menlo were tied at 3 after two overtimes, forcing the shootout. Goalkeeper Nick Bratcher turned away several strong shots by Menlo in the shootout, which host St. Francis won 7-6.
The Lancers’ goals in regulation were scored by Kevin Conner (assist Bryan Giudicelli), Ben Landen (Tim Gonzales) and Matt Essary (Matt Yerman).
St. Francis (9-7-7) was set to face No. 1 Gunn (19-2-3) in last Saturday’s quarterfinals.
• Gunn recovered from a one-goal deficit to beat Greenfield 3-1 Feb. 16 in the opening round of the CCS Division II playoffs.
The top-seeded Titans gave up what coach David Burgee called “a garbage goal” to No. 16 Greenfield late in the first half. They evened the game just before intermission, however, on a shot from Ryan McDermott (assist Alex Guzinski).
Burgee admitted that Greenfield’s low-pressure defense gave his team troubles in the first half, but a four-point strategy session at halftime turned Gunn around.
“One, we needed to penetrate more quickly on the pass or dribble. Two, we needed to limit our touches and use combination play to break down their defenses. Three, use the flanks more often to help spread them a bit. Four, take shots and crash on frame as much as possible,” he said. “Obviously, we did what we needed to do in the second half to get the win.”
Goals by Guzinski (assist McDermott) and Gilmar Arellano (Sam Zipperstein) put the host Titans in control.
Girls playoffs
No. 10 Mountain View got down early and never recovered in its opening round playoff game, won 4-1 by No. 7 Notre Dame-Belmont.
Host Notre Dame tallied three goals in the first seven minutes of the CCS Division II game. By halftime, Mountain View trailed 4-0.
The Spartans (7-8-4) didn’t score until the 51st minute on a shot by Kate Kornegay
In CCS Division I action, No. 6 Homestead scored twice in the second overtime of its opener to beat No. 11 Alisal 4-2.
Katie Kimure (assist Sheela Saneinejad) and Jaime Lindow (Kimure, Michelle Grabau) notched the OT goals in the Feb. 16 home game.
Saneinejad scored in regulation on an assist from Grabau, who knocked in the Mustangs’ second goal.
Homestead (8-7-4) was slated to face No. 3 St. Francis in last Saturday’s quarterfinals. The Lancers (15-2-6) were granted a bye in the first round.
