Barons Get Help in Victory Over Esperanza

It’s understandable why Esperanza Coach Kino Oaxaca had a hard time accepting his team’s 1-0 loss to Fountain Valley Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division I boys’ soccer playoffs at Fountain Valley.

Fountain Valley’s only score came in the 28th minute on an own goal that was headed into the net by Esperanza fullback Eric Minnick.

A tough way to end your season.

“I don’t feel they beat us,” Oaxaca said. “The score says 1-0, but in my mind, I don’t think they beat us.”

In Fountain Valley Coach Kevin Smith’s mind, his team did more than enough to earn its semifinal matchup Tuesday with Redlands.

“We won most of the 50-50 balls, we marked them really well and we tackled the ball well,” Smith said. “I don’t think they had one good shot on goal. That’s pretty amazing to do with a team like Esperanza.”

Fountain Valley goalkeeper Peter Fatzaun only had to make one save and that came off a long ball in the first half that barely reached him. Oaxaca was perplexed over his team’s inability to threaten the Fountain Valley goal.

“It seems when we get to this field, we just can’t string three or four passes together,” Oaxaca said. “It’s been the same thing all year. We haven’t been able to finish.”

Fountain Valley (19-4-2) didn’t exactly finish well either, but at least the Barons took eight shots. The Barons’ best chance to score came with five minutes left when Jon Lloyd’s blast from 10 yards was smothered by Esperanza goalkeeper Nathan Fikse, who had six saves.

The Barons scored on a cross from Fountain Valley’s Adam Novak that was headed high in the air toward the goal by Baron defender Ray Sarafian. Minnick, who was standing close to the goal line, headed the ball backward into the net.

“It looked like he was virtually on the line,” Smith said. “I’m not so sure it wouldn’t have been a goal anyway. You can’t fault the kid.”

Fountain Valley played with its best player, Ryan Futagaki, nursing a sore left quadriceps, which hampered his ability to run full speed and limited his strength when he kicked. The Barons will have to play their next game without Novak, who was given a red card for slapping Esperanza’s Scott Bartulis in the 68th minute.

“He just lost his cool,” Smith said of Novak. “It was retaliation. They didn’t catch the first one. We just have to win Tuesday so Adam can play his last game in the finals.”

Esperanza finished 25-4-1.

In another Division I game:

Santa Ana 2, La Verne Damien 1--After trailing 1-0 at the half, the second-seeded Saints (20-0-4) rallied on goals by Jose Sorto and Mario Gonzalez. Gonzalez scored the winner in the 60th minute on a penalty kick. The Saints will play Simi Valley Royal in the semifinals.