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Boys’ Soccer: Godinez overpowers Estancia

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SANTA ANA — The Estancia High boys’ soccer team lost on the road to Godinez, 3-1, and its best player in the process on Friday.

Kevin Pizarro aggravated a left ankle injury in the first half, when he stepped in a hole on the field at Centennial Regional Park. The junior striker stayed down for quite some time before the Eagles helped him exit the Orange Coast League match.

Playing without Pizarro, the team’s leading goal scorer, for the final 55 minutes hurt Estancia’s chances of handing defending league champion Godinez its first setback in league since the 2012-13 season. The Grizzlies produced all of their goals in the second half, extending their unbeaten streak in league to 21 matches.

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Ricardo Ayala and David Vazquez ended any thought the Eagles (11-3-2, 2-1-1 in league) had of beating Godinez for the first time since they pulled it off on the same site two seasons ago. Ayala’s goal broke a 1-1 tie in the 65th minute and Vazquez sealed the 10th straight win by the Grizzlies (11-1-0, 4-0-0) with a breakaway goal in the 79th minute.

“It was a very evenly matched game,” Godinez Coach Ruben Fernandez. “I thought we started the game pretty well, but in the first half they shut us down pretty well. They defended very well, they denied our passing opportunities, and they actually looked dangerous on the counter.”

On the counter is when Estancia struck for the first time. After Jose Macias’ goal off a long throw-in from Jorge Lopez gave Godinez a 1-0 lead six minutes into the second half, the Eagles answered in the 56th minute to tie the contest.

Chris Moya, playing on the right wing, switched the ball to the left, finding the speedy Brandon Mendez, who sent a cross to Bryan Torres. With the defense playing too high, Torres got behind it and beat goalkeeper Alex Peñaloza.

Godinez regained the lead, and Fernandez believed his team was lucky to do so. The Grizzlies appeared to foul defender Christian Monroy, who was unable to clear the ball in the box. The Eagles stopped playing, thinking the referee would call a foul. He didn’t and Ayala’s goal proved to be the difference between the two programs sharing the No. 10 spot in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 poll.

“If you read the score, obviously 3-1 looks like it was a blowout, but if you watched the game, it was pretty close,” said Estancia Coach Robert Castellano, whose team has been outscored, 7-1, in its past two setbacks at Godinez. “The only reason they scored that third goal was because we were up so high and we took a defender out to put a forward up. We were risking a lot.”

The Eagles could find themselves in a vulnerable spot again if Pizarro misses time because of his ankle.

“He plays through a lot of little nagging injuries,” said Castellano, who thinks Pizarro will be ready on Wednesday, when Estancia plays host to Saddleback, which is not as talented as Godinez. “[The Grizzlies are] tough. I love playing against them. I think I get more excited than the players because I respect their program and it’s always a tough game.”

Seeing your team go down in the first of two key matches against Godinez, as well as your top player, sure is tough.

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