Rivals view equality separately

COSTA MESA — One goal apiece.

But that was about the only thing players and coaches from both sides would consider even about the Orange Coast League boys’ soccer opener between two-time defending league champion Estancia High and crosstown rival Costa Mesa Friday night at Estancia.

For the designated host Mustangs, the 1-1 tie represented nothing short of a breakthrough.

For the favored and largely dominant Eagles, the result was enough to send them into a restless weekend scratching their heads.

“I’m happy for Costa Mesa,” Estancia Coach Gannon Burks said. “But I’m pretty upset, to be honest with you. I thought we should have won. I thought we dominated the game.”

The Eagles (8-1-5), who sat five starters the entire first half for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, amassed 14 shots to the Mustangs’ six. All but a handful of the Estancia opportunities were quality scoring chances, including one shot that caromed off a goalpost and several others that were no more than an arm’s length of catching the cage.

“We had our chances,” Burks said. “Soccer is a game of inches and finishing and we just didn’t ... it just wasn’t on our side tonight.”

Conversely, first-year Costa Mesa Coach Alex Cordoba was anything but disappointed.

“That [Estancia] program’s expectations are to win league and go through the [CIF Southern Section] playoffs,” Cordoba said. “So, for us to come in and play level with them, it’s a big goal for us. As a first-year coach, I wanted to come in and make them competitive. Our goal is to be competitive in every league game, and not get killed like they were in the past.”

Costa Mesa (6-6-3) received some strong play from goalkeeper Felipe Garcia, as well as defenders James Wolf, Ryan Sogamoso and co-captain Jesus Codiz, to help counter the Eagles’ consistently potent attack.

Codiz made six saves and earned praise from his coach.

“He’s a smart player and he reads the game very well,” Cordoba said.

Though without its five starters for the first 40 minutes, Estancia hardly appeared hamstrung.

Junior Jose Rodriguez, who started up front in place of one of the sidelined standouts, scored what Burks called the best goal he has ever seen.

Rodriguez finished a combination play started with a cross beyond the far post from Danny Martinez and complimented by a touch pass from Antonio Gonzalez back to Rodriguez, positioned about three yards inside the left post, about five yards out. Rodriguez, with his back to the goal, lifted himself for a bicycle kick that he knocked backward, behind his head, and into the upper right portion of the net in the 17th minute.

“It was an amazing goal; the best one I’ve ever seen,” said Burks, in his sixth season at the helm. “[Rodriguez] has been in the mix for us, but there’s usually another guy who starts at that spot.”

Senior Rony Argueta, Martinez and senior Jorge Olivas had three shots apiece for the Eagles, for whom Burks praised the defensive efforts of senior Radames Gutierrez and senior Miguel Villafuerte, both of whom typically do not start.

Costa Mesa’s goal came in the 65th minute, when Wolf sent a ball from the corner toward the near post. Sogamoso and Cordoba said Sogamoso got his head on the ball, sending it over the keeper, who was positioned inside the post.

But Burks said a strong wind blew the ball backward, over the keeper, after he had tried to punch it out.

Estancia peppered shots in the final moments, but to no avail.

Costa Mesa had another great chance in the final minutes, but a header by Jose Faboreno from about 15 yards out sailed just over the crossbar.

Burks was preparing his players for two 10-minute overtime periods, before being informed in the final minute that league officials had voted to discontinue overtime this season.

“I didn’t know there was no overtime,” Burks said. “Ties happen. It was great we didn’t lose, because that would have hurt us. Winning two league championships in a row, obviously you set the bar high. And that [Mesa] team came to play.”

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].