Laguna soccer team wins two

Boys’ under-12 team moves on to second round of tourney.The Laguna Beach Soccer Club boys’ under-12 team concluded a successful weekend of play Sunday by winning its first two games in League Cup tournament action.

The two victories in the first round of League Cup play allow Laguna to advance into Saturday’s second-round action at San Bernardino.

It is the first time that a Laguna team has advanced past the first round of League Cup play.

Laguna Beach 2, Valencia United 1

Laguna came away with an upset win over the Blast, the No. 1 seed in the League Cup tournament.

Valencia United entered the match having won the Bronze North Division with a 10-0-1 record and had outscored their opponents 55-4 during regular season play.

Laguna found itself in a 1-0 hole early in the first half when it accidentally put a goal into its own net. That goal turned out to be the only score for the Blast, who were shut down the rest of the way by the defensive efforts of Logan Warren, Luke Barker, Aaron Tang, Zack LeBon and Paolo Noppenberger.

Forward Miguel Jaimes brought Laguna into a 1-1 tie when he sliced through several Blast defenders and sent a stunning shot into the upper corner of the net.

With Christian Ochoa stopping several shots by the Blast in the second half, Laguna forward Marc Hughes sent a cross from the corner of the field to forward Brice Manning, who chipped in a shot beyond the reach of the Blast goalie.

Laguna Beach 4, Long Beach 1

Laguna jumped out to a 2-1 halftime lead and went on to post its second win in League Cup play.

Brice Manning opened the scoring for Laguna when he knocked in a goal from the top of the 18-yard box off a cross from Marc Hughes. The score moved to 2-0 when Miguel Jaims volleyed a cross from Ethan Cochran into the net.

With his team up 2-1, Laguna forward Trey Franklin scored early in the second half after taking a well-concealed back pass from midfielder Christian Ochoa. Minutes later, Hughes put the game away when he found a loose ball in front of the Long Beach net and scored.

Laguna was dominant at midfield, thanks to the play of Cochran, Brian Vail and Rex Kelly.

Mohammad Khakpour 2, Laguna 1

In its final regular season game, Laguna took a 1-0 halftime lead but was shut out by Mohammad Khakpour Soccer Club of Newport Beach in the second half.

Laguna’s lone goal came when forward Brice Manning scored off a cross from Marc Hughes.