Simi Valley Royal Ousts Santa Ana

SANTA ANA —  The Southern Section Division I semifinals were minutes old, but Simi Valley Royal midfielder Brandon Kay could tell Santa Ana’s undefeated season was about to end.

“I think they were thinking they were going to whip us,” said Kay, who soared above two defenders to score in the fifth minute. “They were undefeated and we had five losses. But when we put that goal in there, it stunned them. We knew they were weak in the air, and that was our strength.”

As the afternoon wore on, Royal got stronger and Santa Ana seemingly got smaller. Royal took advantage of its size to score two more times and beat second-seeded Santa Ana, 3-1, Tuesday before more than 2,000 at Santa Ana High.

“We didn’t want it to end this way,” Santa Ana sweeper/forward Mario Gonzalez said. “But it had to end. We had a great year.”

Santa Ana (20-1-4) didn’t have a great day, however. It gave up more goals than it has in more than two years and lost at home for only the second time in three years.

The Saints were out-hustled, out-jumped and outmanned by Royal (25-5-1), which is going to the final for the second time in three years. The Highlanders will face Fountain Valley, which it defeated in the 1995 final, 5-4.

Santa Ana was short-handed to start the day, playing without leading scorer and assist man Juan Reyes, who received a red card in the quarterfinals against LaVerne Damien. Without Reyes, Gonzalez had to create most of the offense by himself.

“I don’t want to say he would have been the difference because that wouldn’t be fair to the other team,” Santa Ana Coach Manny Penaflor said. “But we missed him. From a morale standpoint mostly, but he also puts a lot of pressure on the defense.”

Royal’s first two goals were scored on headers by Kay, a 6-foot-1 senior with tremendous leaping ability. Mike Rainer, a 6-4 midfielder, set up the first goal on a long throw-in.

“That’s what set the tone,” Gonzalez said. “It really put our heads down.”

Royal sweeper Sean Gesell’s 40-yard cross led to Kay’s second goal. Kay rose between two defenders and easily beat a screened Miguel Ortiz to score his 12th of the season.

“Every day, we practice those plays,” Kay said. “We score on those about 75% of the time.”

Santa Ana had a few minutes of life when Gonzalez blasted a direct kick from 18 yards that was followed in by Jose Sorto. But Royal scored a minute before the halftime whistle on Rainer’s left-footed blooper from 15 yards that caught Ortiz out of position.