Bruin boys soccer team wins district title

In last Saturday’s championship game, played in 90-degree temperatures in Vancouver, Wash., Columbia took a 1-0 lead midway through the second half. Angel Flores stole a ball from a King’s Way defender, weaved through two players and centered the ball to Isaac Reynoso. He did a backheel turn past one King’s Way player to create just enough space for a shot to the near post and past the Knights’ goalie, Chase Wollam (six saves).

The game was a tough, physical battle. CHS defenders Juan Santoyo-Luna, Cole Wooding, Damian Sanchez, Ricardo Diaz and Alex Baldwin worked hard to stifle Kings Way’s attack. Five minutes after the opening goal, King’s Way’s Hunter Baron outjumped the CHS defenders to head in a corner kick past CHS keeper Alfonso Serrato (four saves) to tie the game.

In the closing minutes of overtime, Wooding laced a long pass toward the goal box for Luke Miller. He couldn’t quite get to the ball but did enough to misdirect the Knights’ defenders and freeze the goalie for the ball to go into the back of the net for the game winner.

Kings’ Way, the No. 3 seed from the Trico, beat the league’s top seed Seton Catholic Prep, 2-1, in the playoffs to advance to the title match.

Columbia finished tied for first in the Trico League, sharing the title with Seton Catholic Prep. The Bruins, the No. 2 Trico seed in District 4, opened play at the Evergreen League’s No. 3 seed, Elma (10-4 in league). The Bruins dominated the game from start to finish, winning 2-0.

In the 27th minute, Ulices Huerta intercepted an Eagle pass and then linked up with Matthew Carrillo, who found Wooding making a long run down the sidelines. Wooding was able to cross the ball to Miller, who settled the ball, slipped past his defender, and scored the opening goal. 

In the second half, Huerta received a throw-in from Flores, cut around one defender and rocketed a shot past the Elma goalie to make the score 2-0.

Two days later, the Bruins traveled to play the Evergreen’s No. 1-seeded Montesano Bulldogs (12-2 league). In last year’s tournament, Montesano took an early lead to beat CHS, 2-1, en route to the district championship. Last week, the Bruins came out strong from the initial whistle. Center back Sanchez set the tone for the game by making some tough physical tackles on the Bulldogs’ leading scorer Felix Romero. 

Early in the second half, Matt Miller scored his second goal of the game after stealing the ball from a Montesano midfielder and weaving between three attackers. After the second goal, the Bruin midfield took over the game — controlling the pace of match.