Gunn boys earn a trip to CCS Division I soccer final

The Gunn boys’ soccer team became the latest to upset a top seed and this time the Titans are rewarded with a spot in the championship match of the Central Coast Section Division I tournament.

The Titans and host Salinas played to a 2-2 draw and then Gunn converted its penalty kicks 4-2 to advance out of the semifinals Wednesday night.

The Sacred Heart Prep girls also went on the road and successfully confronted a top seed, beating Carmel 4-0 to reach the title match of Division IV. The Gators are the defending D-4 champion, beating Priory in overtime.

The Menlo School girls also used an upset of the top seed to spring into the title match of Division III.

The Knights beat host Palo Alto 1-0 on Wednesday on a goal by Carly Retterer in the 78th minute.

The Vikings finished 7-7-7 overall.

The eighth-seeded Knights (11-4-7) will face sixth seed Burlingame (11-4-6) in the final at 10:00 am at Fremont-Sunnyvale.

The semifinal was an intensely competitive game that appropriately came down to the final minutes.

The first half was well balanced with Menlo holding a 3-1 edge in shots on goal.

In the second half, Paly had slightly better of a tight game, Menlo coach Ross Ireland said, who credited junior Sienna Gavin with an outstanding game on defense, along with a typically dominant technical displays from junior Gabby Kogler and Retterer.

The winning goal came with less than two minutes remaining after a reverse pass from Francesca Prescott, who set up fellow sophomore Carolina Espinosa, who curled a left-footed effort that the Paly keeper could only parry in front of goal, allowing Retterer to neatly dispatch the ball for the dramatic winner.

“It was an incredible team effort and wonderful support enabled our girls to defeat a strong opponent,” Ireland said.

In other CCS matches, the Gunn girls (15-4-2) fell to host Sobrato 2-0 and the Menlo boys (15-3-4) dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting St. Francis.

Gunn and Salinas engaged in a fast-paced game and in front of a lively crowd. The Titans scored first when James Hahn tapped in a corner kick from Nickolas Romero. Salinas rallied to tie the game before the end of the first half.

Gunn (17-1-2) came out strong in the second half and went ahead 2-1 after centerback Alexis Bromberg placed a header high into the back of the net from a free kick by Hahn.

Both teams missed scoring opportunities throughout second half until Salinas scored the tying goal with a rocket shot into the net from the top of the box. The score remained tied 2-2 after regulation and overtime.

Gunn goalkeeper Pierre Napaa recorded two diving saves in the penalty kick shootout when he stopped the Cowboys’ second and fourth shots.

Romero, the Titans’ fourth player, placed his penalty kick far right into the goal to clinch it. Napaa and Romero were both swamped by a happy group of teammates.

Gunn faces Mitty (15-2-4) on Saturday at a site and time to be determined.

The Sacred Heart girls (9-6-6) face Salinas (12-5-4) on Saturday.

By Palo Alto Online Sports

By Palo Alto Online Sports

By Palo Alto Online Sports

By Palo Alto Online Sports