Golden Valley boys soccer crushed with NorCal playoff loss to Las Lomas on penalty kicks
Just three days after feeling the elation of celebrating a second consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section championship, the Golden Valley High boys soccer team dealt with the opposite emotion on Tuesday night.
The Cougars had to deal with the sudden end to their season in one of the toughest ways to bow out. Sixth-seeded Las Lomas of Walnut Creek defeated No. 3 Golden Valley 3-1 on penalty kicks after both teams battled to a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation and a 15-minute, sudden-death overtime period in the first round of the Northern California Regional Division II playoffs at Veterans Stadium.
Golden Valley goalie Manuel Zarco Zarate was laying on the turf after the final penalty kick and was consoled by Las Lomas players. Other Cougars players were sprawled on the turf in disbelief.
“That’s definitely not how we wanted the season to end,” said Golden Valley coach Lance Ebers. “It was our first loss at home and unfortunately, it’s the one that ends our season. We wanted our momentum of the section playoff run to keep moving forward, so it’s tough...Really tough.”
The Cougars (21-3-2), who were the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II champions, battled the North Coast Section Division II champions toe-to-toe for 95 minutes.
The Knights (22-2-2) opened the scoring as Juan Pirajon sailed a pass into the box from the corner and teammate Mason Lisi headed the ball in for a goal in the 13th minute to give Las Lomas a 1-0 lead.
Golden Valley responded in the 30th minute as Cougars senior Roberto Ramires worked the ball up the left side and found teammate Carlos Miranda open in the center of the field. Miranda then deposited the ball into the left corner of the net to tie the match at 1-1.
The match was played up and down the field as both teams had opportunities to take the lead in the second half.
“It was a well played matched on both sides,” Eber said. “I thought that they were a very good team. Well organized in their attack. Worked their way up the lines very confidently. I just think that they missed having a real scoring threat. They had more wide open opportunities on goal than we did.”
Golden Valley defenders did will to limit a Las Lomas team that had scored 77 goals this season without one of its top defenders in Malachi Wright, who broke a toe in the section championship match on Saturday and was sidelined.
One of Golden Valley’s best scoring opportunities came in overtime when Miranda took a free kick from 27 yards out and the shot glanced off the crossbar.
When the game went to penalty kicks the advantage swung the Knights way because Las Lomas won its section semifinal on penalty kicks against Richmond.
It had been a few years since Golden Valley had a game finish with penalty kicks, according to Eber.
“We didn’t practice PKs too often actually,” Eber said. “We talked about it and discussed how difficult it can be. But, you truly can’t simulate practicing PKs, to actually doing it in a match when your season’s destiny is on the line.”
Golden Valley kicked first and sophomore Daniel Gaona converted on the first attempt.
Odin Miller was successful for Las Lomas on its first attempt.
Then things went poorly for Golden Valley as it failed on its next three attempts. Jose Ontiveros sailed his over the crossbar. Golden Valley’s Giovanny Ramirez and Jonathan Gomez Roldan were both unsuccessful with their tries.
Meanwhile, after the Knights missed their second attempt, Las Lomas’ Pirajon and Nathan Palavos both converted their penalty kicks to secure the win and set off a Knights celebration.
The large crowd that showed up to support the back-to-back section champs saluted the Cougars for their championship run.
“Winning back to back Section championships will be the most memorable... The run was very special,” Eber said. “Statistically, this just might be best GV boys’ soccer team in the school’s history — 21 wins, one goal short of 100 goals, winning a tournament, winning a section championship for the second year in a row — very special.”
