SANTA ANA — The players on the JSerra and Mater Dei boys soccer team had plenty of reasons to be amped up as they faced off in a Trinity League contest on Wednesday at Mater Dei High School.
JSerra and Mater Dei are the No. 1 and No. 2 teams, respectively, in the national rankings and in first and second place, respectively, in the league standings.
The Lions also came into the match wanting to defend their unblemished record, while the Monarchs were looking to avenge their only loss, which came against JSerra earlier in the season.
After the match ended, nothing had changed.
JSerra forward Gavin Allegaert scored the game’s only goal in the second half to give the Lions a 1-0 victory over the Monarchs.
The Lions (11-0, 8-0) remain undefeated and in first place in league and the Monarchs (13-2, 6-2), whose only losses are against JSerra, are in second place.
Both teams have two games remaining in the regular season and both will likely play in the Open Division of the CIF-SS playoffs.
The match was the most competitive of the season for the Lions, who had defeated every other league opponent by at least two goals.
“It turned into what I told them at halftime,” Lions coach Erik Kirsch said. “This is going to be one of the hardest games you ever play in high school. We’re going to find out, are we a championship team? I found out we have those pieces.”
The Lions lost two players to red cards, including goalkeeper Liam Johnston, who will also have to sit out the Lions’ next game, against Santa Margarita on Friday.
“Under all those circumstances, I thought a lot of the players who came in really gave everything,” Kirsch said. “They’re built to win these kinds of games and they proved to me they could do it.”
The contest featured numerous set pieces for both teams.
Allegaert, who leads the Lions with 13 goals, scored in the 51st minute off a throw-in.
“Tanner Casey was kind of in the right-hand corner and the ball was bobbling and he saw me in the box and he crossed it in,” Allegaert said. “It was kind of bouncing and a little in front of me. So, I slid for it and volleyed it with my right foot into the net.”
Mater Dei had some scoring opportunities late in the match.
Kalani Kunimura took a shot in traffic about 30 yards from the goal, but the ball sailed over the net.
In the 75th minute, Mater Dei forward Santiago Schelotto took a shot from a wide angle that travelled a few feet to the right of the goal.
“I think it was a great game,” Mater Dei coach Sean Ganey said. “I think this was a great night for high school soccer. Guys were competing every single play. If you took a play off, you would get punished. Credit to JSerra. They executed. They got their chance and they finished it.”
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