5:00pm | Millikan defender Ismael Ayala put the Rams up 1-0 with a header off a corner kick before the seats were even warm, and that’s all the home team needed to stay undefeated in the Moore League and dispense of the visiting Cabrillo Jaguars, 2-0.
After Robert Burgos found Ayala in the 5th minute of play, the Rams sat back and played defensive/counter attack soccer. It might be boring for the average soccer fan, but it’s a recipe for success for coach Rod Petkovic and his CIF #1 squad.
“No matter who it is, it’s hard to play three times in a week,” said Petkovic of the weather-induced three game week. “I told [the team] before the game that with the win we would officially qualify for playoffs… we can’t be worse than fourth now… that’s a good thing before you go into a tough game like this.”
On the visitor side, the Jaguars started the contest on the other end of the spectrum. With captain defender Gabriel Borja on the bench because of two yellow cards in the Lakewood game there was no one tall enough to leap with Burgos on the first goal. And with seven yellow cards on Cabrillo (one on Millikan) any momentum they had on offense was quelled, while Millikan was able to go to work on the set pieces. Cabrillo goalkeeper Jesus Rodriguez came up huge in the 30th minute when Burgos’ free kick from near midfield bounced high over the back line and Rodriguez smothered the ball near the back post.
The Jaguars did get their chances to score as junior Geo Cazall continues to dazzle with his skill. He beat three defenders for the point-blank shot in the 32nd minute, but as has been the story all year for the Rams, goalkeeper Jorge Becerra came up with the save. He had six on the game as the vaunted Millikan defense earned their 16th shutout victory.
Cabrillo continued to put themselves in a hole when Wilfredo Mejia was given a red card five minutes before halftime. Millikan striker Andres Montes made an early run after a turnover at midfield, and with the ball near Montes’ feet, he and Mejia collided. Petkovic commented that it was a good foul because Mejia was the last defender between Montes and the goal, but the head referee told Cabrillo coach Pat Noyes that it was a malicious strike on the leg from Mejia.
To the Jaguars credit they played inspired and aggressive man-down soccer, and with the score 1-0 until very late in the match, there were nervous moments for the Rams. But even though Armando Padilla’s soaring throw ins were on point and Frankie Contreras had two beautiful chances (one soft touch to the far side that bounced wide off the post) Becerra and the Ram D did what they did best.
Not many teams can stop the bleeding in an instant like Millikan. Some teams may get a few chances in succession, but those strings of play don’t come often. Everything is cleared out. Everything is pushed forward, and everything goes through Montes.
The junior used fantastic thru balls from freshman Jaime Salazar to key the counter attack and got two great shots on goal around the 65th minute, both of which found the right and left post. Third time was a charm though, as Salazar fed it to Fernando Arroyo, who laid it off for Montes, who sent a cracking shot to the top shelve for the second and final goal of the afternoon with less than five minutes remaining.
Millikan will travel to Lakewood on Monday, and Cabrillo (2-3-1) will begin a tough two weeks with six games in the next 13 days, starting on Tuesday vs. Jordan.
OTHER SCORES
Poly 1, Jordan 1
Come back tomorrow for a full standings box.