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Late goal earns Katella share of titleBy MIGUEL A.MELENDEZTHE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTERdowney •Sometimes a tie can feel like a victory, and nobody knows that better than the Katella boys soccer team.The Knights made a frantic effort near the end of the match that was culminated by a Ozzy Bastida goal to lift Katella to a 1-1 tie against Palos Verdes to clinch a share of the CIF-Southern Section Division II championship Saturday at Warren High.Last year the Knights defeated Sonora to clinch the CIF-SS Division III title. This marks the second consecutive co-championship for Palos Verdes, which tied Santa Ana Valley last year in Division IV.Bastida’s shot deflected ofT the shoulder of a Palos Verdes defender. After the ball went in, the Katella crowd roared to its feet, which sent the Knights into a celebration on their bench.“I don’t know how it got in, but it got in, Bastida said. “This definitely feels like a victory for us because it came down in the final minutes. I know it doesn’t feel like it for them (Palos Verdes), but it does for us.”Katella (18-6-5) looked poised from the start, attacking often and appearing that it would score first.ARMANDO BROWN, THE REGISTERHERO: Katella's Ozzy Bastida, right, who scored his team's game-tying goal, embraces teammate Octavio Vergara (18) after Saturday's game.But it was Palos Verdes (22-2-7) that scored the first goal after a defensive breakdown by theKnights. Kevin Morgan capitalized on the Katella breakdown to give Palos Verdes a 1-0 lead at the half.But this team found a way to believe,” Knights coach Armando Cendejas said. “This team has done it all year long, and here w'e are again.The early uphill battle could have been steeper for Katella if not for stellar goalkeeing by Miguel Guzman, who made a spectacular save in the first half.Palos Verdes took a shot from 16 yards out and after guessing correctly, Guzman dived and hugged the ball, landing on his shoulder horizontally.Palos Verdes came with a furious attack in the second half, and Guzman needed all the help he could get.Palos Verdes took a shot from about 20 yards out, and it was deflected off a Guzman fist pump.The ball was suddenly sent back inside, but Guzman was too far out. That’s when senior defender Daniel Rodriguez headed the ball and cleared it out, almost hitting his head on the crossbar.“He saved me on that one, Guzman said. “Our whole team kept it together, and we knew eventually we would score.“I came my junior year and won a championship, and I’m leaving Kate with a big smile on my faceafter winning this championshipmy senior year.”
Newspaper Details
Santa Ana Orange County Register
Santa Ana, California, US
Sun, Mar 04, 2007
Page 94
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USA 22 Mar 2019
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