Boys’ Soccer: Sage takes regional playoff opener
SAN DIEGO — The set piece outside the box wasn’t the one Coach Luis Cruz called the Sage Hill School boys’ soccer team to run in the first half on Tuesday. Nikolai Sadeghi said the original play was for Gordon Strelow to take it.
Sadeghi decided to go against his coach’s plan. He’s the one who drew the foul and he’s the one who took the free kick that lifted No. 5-seeded Sage Hill to a 1-0 win at No. 4 San Diego Montgomery in the opening round of the CIF Southern California Regional Division IV playoffs.
In the 25th minute, Sadeghi’s free kick from about 25 yards out found the back of the net, keeping Sage Hill’s season alive. Asked afterward, Cruz couldn’t remember whom the free kick was intended for in that spot. Cruz, of course, liked the result, and there was a reason why Sadeghi said he felt compelled to switch it up.
“I knew in this game that we’d be playing a team that has great possession,” Sadeghi said of the Braves, the CIF San Diego Section Division IV champions. “Gordon actually, one of our other captains, came up for the kick, and coach wanted him to put the ball in, but I knew that we weren’t going to get many chances like the one that we had, so I decided to just take it myself.
“The play was for Gordon to swing it in and for someone to go to the back post, but I didn’t think we were going to get a chance like that again. I kind of had to go against the coach, but it paid off, so I’m glad I did.”
Sage Hill (16-10) continued a season of many firsts. There’s Cruz, who’s in his first season with the Lightning. With Cruz, Sage Hill reached the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section playoffs for the first time.
The season appeared dead a week ago, when Sage Hill lost the Division 6 semifinal at South Pasadena, 2-0. The program then earned a berth into the CIF Southern California Regional Division IV playoffs.
The program made its first trip to this stage, and in its first try, it has triumphed. As to how far Sage Hill can go, Cruz said to “never count” his Lightning out.
Sage Hill will have to travel down south again for the second time in three days. Up next is a date at top-seeded Coronado (17-6-1) on Thursday at 4 p.m. Coronado defeated No. 8 Rancho Mirage, 9-1, to advance.
“There’s not a doubt in my mind that if we keep playing like we are we can win a couple of more games and we can get this,” Sadeghi said, referring to winning the school’s first CIF Southern California Regional title in any boys’ sport.
“In the beginning of the season, I could have never thought this far, I could have never expected this much from my teammates, from our coaches, from myself, and I think it’s huge for the program and for the school that we made it this far.”
The defense returned to its shutout form early in the postseason, becoming the fifth team to hold Montgomery (15-8-6) scoreless this season. Goalkeeper Robbie Rosoff made seven saves and earned the clean sheet.
Having Strelow in the back was crucial to Rosoff’s success. Strelow returned to the lineup after sitting out Sage Hill’s semifinal loss at South Pasadena because the senior picked up a red card in the quarterfinals. Strelow and fellow center back Zach Burns kept a dangerous side from getting one ball past Rosoff, who has blanked three teams in the playoffs.
Montgomery attacked from the wings with Johan Rodriguez, Angel Lua, Sammy Romero and Sergio Lopez, and even though Sage Hill played without defender Dino Romeo, who was out with a red card, the Braves fell short every time. Anthony Gil and Noah Koumas helped the Lightning turn back the hosts.
One goal is all Sage Hill needed, yet it came close to getting the second goal in the 55th and 59th minutes.
“This game could’ve easily been 3-0 us,” Cruz said. “It was [Sadeghi] that went on a dribble [deep in the box], lost the ball, kept pressuring, and the [Montgomery] player misplayed the ball to [his keeper]. It was an own-goal that was called back.
[Then Juan Rodriguez took a shot with an open net and] they saved it off the line. The keeper was out.”
Antonio Morales wasn’t an easy keeper to beat. Sadeghi failed the first couple of times, striking the ball right at Morales or over the crossbar.
Each time, Sadeghi was on the move. When he wasn’t, that’s when Sadeghi produced.
The Lightning earned a free kick outside the box, and from there, on the right side, Sadeghi nailed it. He placed an unbelievable ball where Morales couldn’t get to, toward the left.
“It was a little bit intimidating coming into this game, and I knew that every shot I had had to be a goal,” said Sadeghi, the team’s leading goal scorer. “I hit the crossbar. I hit the goalie. Fortunately I got a lucky free kick.”