After Tension Breaks, Royal Streaks Into Soccer Final

SIMI VALLEY —  The darkening, ominous sky was the perfect backdrop for an overtime playoff soccer match, for a dramatic comeback victory by Royal High, for a. . . .

Streaker?

Wound tighter than baseballs from Haiti, Royal loosened up and streaked to victory after a naked male ran across the field at halftime. The Highlanders chuckled and relaxed enough to turn a halftime deficit into a 2-1 overtime victory over Redlands in the Southern Section Division I semifinals Tuesday at Royal.

Royal will face Fountain Valley in the final Friday.

Tim Pederson scored the winning goal six minutes into the first of two 10-minute overtime periods.

He credited his team’s desire, pointing to the way the Highlanders (21-5-2) battled despite falling behind after barely three minutes.

And he credited the streaker.

“It loosened us up,” Pederson said of the interloper, who wore only a stocking mask and an ‘R’ painted on his chest. “I don’t know who did it, but it worked.”

Royal’s offense, tentative and taut in the first half, clicked soon after. Pederson set up the tying goal 22 minutes into the second half, screening the Redlands’ goaltender long enough for Ryan Gesell to tap the ball into the net.

Royal outshot Redlands (16-6-4) in the second half and overtime, 16-7.