The Barons boys varsity soccer team advanced to the first round of C.I.F. playoffs after a seesaw battle against Santa Margarita on Tuesday. The Boys who placed 3rd in the Sunset league were placed in a wild card game against 3rd place Trinity league team Santa Margarita.
The Barons never led in the match and fought back to equalize all 3 goals that Santa Margarita scored. Ethan Morrow (’12) was the first of the Barons to equalize. Early in the half, the Barons went down a goal on a P.K. shot, after a fast paced battle of up and down action the entire 1st half Morrow drew a foul just outside the 18-yard box. He stepped up to the dead ball and rocketed a shot past the Eagle keeper to tie up the game at 1-1 before the half expired.
Right off the second half whistle the Eagles applied heavy pressure and within minutes came away with another 1 goal lead. The Barons although let down continued to push offensively and within 10 minutes of the goal Joseph Solimon (’13) dribbled through and around 3 Eagle defense men in the center of the field and continued past the goalie to score another game tying goal for the Barons. As time drew down in the second half again Santa Margarita applied pressure in the Baron box and scored another go ahead goal with what seemed like very little time for yet another Baron equalizer. Taking a very offensive formation in the last 5 minutes of the game, the Barons went into desperation mode. With only minutes left to spare the Barons placed a ball inside the box from the outside that found its way to the middle of the box where Spencer Brose (’13) was there to shoot inside the goal and send the Barons to OT, with what was yet another equalizer at 3-3.
In OT both teams saw chances and both Barons and Eagles saw very near misses and strong goalkeeping. The game stayed even through the golden goal OT and went into the dreaded playoff P.K. shootout.
In the P.K. shootout Joseph Lorenger (’13) the keeper for the Barons was outstanding blocking 2 shots and almost a third. It was all up to the shooters and only 4 had to make their shot to win the game. Morrow, Oscar Garcia (’13), Wade Sias (’12) all made their P.K.s. It came down to Travis Allison (’12) as the 5th kicker, he stepped up to the ball and put the shot away and as the entire soccer team dog piled Allison the Barons moved on to the first round of C.I.F.
The Barons will play #4 San Clemente away, the defending C.I.F. champions. The game will be played this Thursday, February 16th.
