CHS Boys Soccer

"Looking back on it, the game reminded me of our loss to Montesano in the playoffs last year," Bruins Coach Peter Knowles said. "Same control of the field, shots and missed opportunities, same result in a shootout that could have gone our way but didn't."

In the five-round shootout, La Center went first and scored on its first three penalty kicks while Columbia came up empty on its first two tries.

The Bruins finally found the back of the net when Ramon Villanueva and Cheno Barajas sandwiched scoring shots around a La Center miss to pull CHS within 3-2. But the Wildcats secured the victory with a successful kick to start the fifth round.

With the loss--its first in league play since April 2006--Columbia can now look ahead without worrying about putting together a second consecutive undefeated regular season.

"The loss gives us some perspective, and a certain humbling quality to our early successes," Knowles noted. "And it gives us another reason to keep working on our shooting accuracy and efficiency. When we keep outshooting our opponents 5 to 1, but can't pull away on the scoreboard, it gets frustrating; but it also gives us a team target to improve on."

Against La Center on a field made wet and sloppy by rain, the Bruins offense generated 20 shots (10 on goal). Their defense limited the Wildcats to four shots (three on goal).

Despite the overwhelming differential in shot attempts, though, Columbia managed just one goal in regulation and overtime.

That goal by Mart¡n Mendoza--off an assist from Alexis Gomez--came three minutes into the second half and followed a scoring chance by Barajas that La Center goalkeeper Dan Pershall rebuffed.

"Once Mart¡n put the ball in the net, I honestly thought we'd broken through and would add a few more, but La Center stayed strong and kept blocking shots and hampering our attack."

As regulation wound down, La Center started to put together some quick-hitting challenges in CHS's end of the field. The pressure netted the Wildcats a free kick from 25 yards with about three minutes remaining.

"The kick actually went in the goal, but it was called back because an LC player was obstructing (CHS goaltender) Carlos Mendoza's ability to get to the ball," Knowles said.

But instead of letting the call get them down, La Center's players got fired up and a minute later scored the tying goal on a long breakaway up the middle by Garrett Davis.

"Our center defender, Chuy Ramos, and (Davis) hit the ball at the same time, but it bounced through in their favor and even a trailing Hugo Guzman couldn't clear the ball away in time," Knowles noted. "The goal came with less than two minutes to go. At that point I knew we'd head to overtime."

Columbia JV 3, at La Center JV 1:

Miguel Ramirez scored two goals and Kelly Stocker knocked in one in the Columbia High junior varsity soccer team's March 25 victory.

Hector Barajas also had a good match for the Junior Bruins (2-0). He assisted on Stocker's goal and provided "excellent play to get the ball through the midfield," CHS head coach Peter Knowles said.