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Culver City defenders Ryan Armstrong (10), Geovany Siliezar (15) and Ezquiel Sanchez (20) watch as Centaur goalkeeper Bryan Guiterrez comes out and pulls down a corner kick. Photo, George Laase.
With a share of the Ocean League soccer lead on the line, the match between high-scoring Hawthorne High School and host Culver City would determine who would retain its share of first place with Santa Monica.
While Culver City was losing a heartbreaker, 1-0, Santa Monica defeated winless Morningside, 6-1.
All the Centaurs fans expected a good game because in their first match, they had shocked nationally ranked Hawthorne with a 3-3 tie in double overtime.
They were not disappointed.
Culver had the first chance to break through when forward Carlos Rincon was fouled in the box and was awarded a penalty kick. Hawthorne's goalie, Fernando Portillo, luckily guessed right and stopped Rincon's point blank shot. The Centaur defense held 38th state- ranked Cougars scoreless for the first half.
In the second half, Culver's defense kept turning away every charge the Hawthorne ran at them. At times, the Centaurs seem to control the game. Midway through the second half, junior Tommy de la Toore got a step on his defender and fired a 15-yard bullet beating goalkeeper Fernando Portillo, but the ball bounced off the post.
As the hotly-contested game progressed, it looked as though it would go into overtime as the first one did.
But with four minutes left in the contest, Hawthorne scored on a crossing pass and then played keepa-way for the win.
The loss drops Culver City to second place at 6-2-1.
Santa Monica plays at Hawthorne today with the league championship at stake.
Though not the result they were looking for, the Centaurs must put their disappointment behind them and play their last league against Beverly Hills and then prepare for next week's CIF Southern Section playoffs.
Mr. Laase may be contacted at GMLaase@aol.com
