Publication Date: Friday, February 18, 2005
CCS SOCCER
Gunn, Paly boys take the first big step
Gunn, Paly boys take the first big step
(February 18, 2005) by Keith Peters
The first steps have been taken by the Gunn and Palo Alto boys' soccer teams. Only one, however, will have a chance to reach its final destination.
Should the Titans and Vikings win their respective Central Coast Section Division II quarterfinals on Saturday, they'll meet for the third time this season in a semifinal match Tuesday at Piedmont Hills in San Jose at 7 p.m. Gunn has not beaten Palo Alto in two seasons, losing twice last year and going 0-1-1 this year.
The winner of that match will advance to the championship match next Friday at Piedmont Hills at 4:30 p.m.
Both teams put that possible scenario in motion Wednesday with opening-round victories. Top-seeded Gunn (19-3-2) posted a 3-1 win over No. 16 Greenfield (of Soledad) while No. 4-seeded Palo Alto (14-4-3) defeated No. 13 seed and host Gonzales, 3-0.
Gunn will face No. 8 St. Francis (10-7-6) on Saturday at Santa Clara High at noon. The Lancers advanced with a 4-3 decision over No. 9 Menlo (11-7-3) on penalty kicks after the teams had tied 3-3 through regulation plus two periods each of overtime and sudden death.
Palo Alto will play Saturday at 10 a.m. in Milpitas against No. 12 Leigh (12-8-1), which surprised No. 5 Santa Cruz, 1-0, the 2003 CCS Division II champion.
Both local teams started quite differently in their openers.
Gunn fell behind 1-0 in the first half before rallying.
"I got kind of scared at first," admitted Gunn senior Alex Guzinski. "That goal kind of set us off. I think it sparked us to play harder."
Guzinski opened the match playing more as a defender because Vinny Beltrami was out after being red-carded in the team's regular-season final against Paly. Once Greenfield scored, he became more involved in the offense and the Titans' attack picked up. Guzinski assisted on a tying goal by senior Ryan McDermott, then gave Gunn a 2-1 lead when he converted a bicycle kick pass from McDermott just into the second half.
Senior Gilmar Arellano made it 3-1 after taking a pass from sophomore Sam Zipperstein and heading it in.
Gunn was strengthened on defense by the addition of midfielder Anton Horwath, who had missed the final games of the regular season with torn ligaments in his elbow. He played all out and hit the artificial turf at Los Altos High a few times, earning the game ball for his efforts.
"This is definitely a good start," Guzinski said, "but it's just the first step."
Palo Alto also took a good first step as Ed Chang, David White and Manny Barragan all scored for coach Don Briggs' squad. Keeper Harrison Newkirk came up with some big saves early, before Chang made it 1-0 in the 32nd minute. Fellow senior Pierre Meloty-Kapella also was singled out by Briggs for his strong contribution.
Menlo, meanwhile, gave St. Francis all it could handle while forcing the match into penalty kicks. There, the Knights' luck ran out and season ended when three of their shots were blocked by Lancers' keeper Nick Bratcher.
Menlo senior Kevin Brege scored all three of his team's goals in a huge effort. Ryan Cavan, Gabe Huey and Devon Arscott added assists. Along with Brege, Cavan, Arscott and Huey, the match was the final one for seniors Scott Harris, Charles Wetherell, Wiley Birkhofer, Chad Byers, Jack Miller, Art Heidrich, Blake Rosendin and goalie Will Pringle.
Girls
Second-seeded Palo Alto (13-2-6) will open its quest for the Division II title by taking on No. 7 Notre Dame-Belmont (12-8-2) in a quarterfinal match Saturday at Burlingame High at 2 p.m.
"I know they are a good squad, and have played a rather difficult schedule this year," Paly coach Jeff van Gastel said of Notre Dame, which competes in the perennially tough West Catholic Athletic League. "Their record may not be as it has in the last few years, but they still have talent and a good forward (Michelle Ancelj). It will be a tough game for us, especially if we are having trouble keeping possession of the ball in the attack."
In CCS Division I play Wednesday, No. 7 Menlo-Atherton (11-9-3) had its season end in a 6-2 loss at No. 10 Live Oak. Senior Katherine Daiss, headed to Cal on a soccer scholarship next fall, scored both goals for the Bears on assists from Abby Robinson and Wendy Funk.
In addition to Daiss and Robinson, the match was the finale for seniors Alejandra Cruz, Devon Davey, Megan Sieber, Courtney Morse, and Molly Porzig.
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