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Lancers’ experience, tradition bit too muchBy Paul GlavianoThe Orange County RegisterCERRITOS — Sometimes luck is not enough. El Dorado High twice caught lightning in a bottle Saturday night in the boys CIF Southern Section 2-A Division soccer final at Gahr High, but Bell Gardens High scored two second-half goals in a 55-second span to finally prevail, 3-2.• “We gave them two goals,” said Orlando Brenes, Bell Gardens’ coach. “We gave them two, but I thought we played well to come back like that in the second half. Needless to say, we’re a bunch of happy guys.”It was the second CIF title for Bell Gardens under Brenes, who guided the Lancers to the 1984 3-A title and has had them in the playoffs every year in his 12-season tenure.El Dorado Coach Gary Imai felt that the Lancers’ winning tradition and playoff experience edge might have been decisive.“We just didn’t know how much we’d have to do once we got out there tonight,” Imai said. “I think we played a good game, but they’re a better team. But we’ve got most of our team back, and this will be a learning experience for us for next year.”The Golden Hawks lose six seniors but return nine juniors and three sophomores.The loss capped a remarkable playoff run for the Golden HawksNadia Borowskl/Tho Orange County RegisterEl Dorado fullback Joe Kalman (21) tries to beat Bell Gardens’ Eric Hurtarte (6) to the ball during Bell Gardens’ 3-2 victory in title game.(17-9-2), who won three overtime games in the first four rounds.“This was a rebuilding year,” Imai said before the game. “We just came around faster than anyone expected, including me. This was supposed to happen next year.”The Golden Hawks had won four postseason games with virtually no help from their second-leading scorer, Carlos Cedano, who injured an ankle in the final Empire League game and played sparingly in the playoffs.He was back and running well Saturday, but overall Lancers’ quickness proved decisive.Bell Gardens (23-3-2) scored first when Fernando Loza dribbled down the right side, faked a Golden Hawks’ defender and centered the ball in front of the goal to Eric Hurtarte, who scored 13:09 into the game.El Dorado got the first of its two breaks at 19:30 when a Bell Gardens player was called for a hand foul inside the Lancers’ goalie box and the Golden Hawkswere awarded a penalty kick from the 18-yard line.Scott Anderson boomed it past Lancers’ goalie Lupe Gallegos to tie the score at 1-1.El Dorado went ahead on the improbable of goals at 28:28 when Rajai Qsar left-footed a high floater from 35 yards out on the right side. The ball seemed to hang forever, and Gallegos misjudged it, leaping futilely at the last second as the ball sailed over his head and into the net.Down 2-1 starting the second half, the scrappy Lancers came out aggressively and tied the score at 48:17 when Eric Hurtarte booted a deflected corner kick into the Golden Hawks’ goal from close range.The Lancers got what turned out to be the clincher at 49:12 on a slick header by Javier Maciel. Bell Gardens then played solid defense down the stretch to ice the victory.Though his brother, Eric, drew the accolades for scoring two of the Lancers’ goals, Gary Hurtarte was a key factor with his swift and sure dribbling and passing. Eric Hurtarte finished the season with 21 goals, with Gary Hurtarte scoring 18 and Loza and Maciel 17 apiece. The Lancers outscored their playoff foes, 19-4.Anderson’s goal was his fourth in the playoffs. He also had two assists in the five games, participating in six of the Golden Hawks’ nine playoff goals.BELL GARDENS 3. EL DORADO 2 Scorers: (BG) E Hurtarte 2. Maciel 1; (ED) Anderson t, Osar 1.Goalie Saves: Gallegos (BG) 4. leilner (ED) 5 Halftime: El Dorado. 2-1
Newspaper Details
Santa Ana Orange County Register
Santa Ana, California, US
Sun, Mar 03, 1991
Page 56
Full Page
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