CdM knocked out of playoffs

Steve Virgen

A simple explanation to Corona del Mar High’s loss would be that its

boys soccer team did not finish any of its many scoring chances. Yet,

something more dramatic took place at the Sea Kings’ field, where an

emotionally driven El Dorado squad defeated CdM, 2-0, in the first

round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs Saturday.

With the Sea Kings trailing, 1-0, in the 13th minute, a loud gasp

came over a crowd of about 350 when El Dorado senior Brett Mullinax

and CdM senior Tristan Harris collided and their heads crashed

against each other, while the two went for a 50-50 ball. Then a hush

came. Mullinax lay on the ground holding his forehead, which bled

profusely.

Harris rose to his feet and walked to his sideline, while trainers

and coaches tended to Mullinax. After 20 minutes went by, during

which paramedics came and wrapped the boy’s head, Mullinax was able

to walk to the trainer’s golf cart and sat. Every El Dorado player

came and shook his hand before he was driven out. Harris also shook

his hand.

A representative at Hoag Hospital said that there wasn’t a

concussion and that Mullinax received 30 stitches and was sent home.

When play resumed Harris returned to the game five minutes later.

Harris said the top of his head knocked against the forehead of

Mullinax.

After Mullinax left the game, it appeared the Golden Hawks

intensified their play. They protected their one-goal lead even

though the Sea Kings (16-6-2) relentlessly attacked their net. CdM

outshot El Dorado, 8-3, from when Mullinax left until halftime.

The Golden Hawks (14-6-2) had scored in the third minute, when

senior Chris Cardinale scored on a rebound, after the CdM goalie

slapped at the previous shot. However, the Sea Kings created more

scoring chances than the Golden Hawks afterward, yet El Dorado turned

them back.

“I thought the big difference was when (Mullinax) went down and

the guys rallied around him,” El Dorado Coach Marc Smith said. “It

was interesting because we haven’t had that much intensity all year.”

CdM junior Julien Cerutti fired off four shots in the final 18

minutes of the first half. None of his shots were stopped because

they went just wide and one hit the top of the net. Meanwhile, the

Golden Hawks had two viable scoring chances before halftime, but CdM

senior goalie Phil Stemler made diving saves to stop them. Stemler

recorded 12 saves.

El Dorado senior goalie Brad Drake also played a sensational game.

He came up with 13 saves and drove CdM back with his long punts.

Drake, who served as the punter for the El Dorado football team, also

left the net at opportune moments to stop CdM.

“He’s one of our key players, and for him to go down that brought

us together,” Drake said of Mullinax. “We wanted to step it up mainly

for him. It was hard to see him go, but that’s why we changed our

game.”

CdM Coach Pat Callaghan thought otherwise. He said the 20-minute

break of the action took away CdM’s momentum.

“I didn’t notice (El Dorado’s inspired play),” Callaghan said.

“From the time they scored their goal (third minute) and when

(Mullinax was) injured, we were dominating the game. We had all the

energy and all the play. That kind of took the momentum from us.

That’s the way I see it, more so than them being inspired.”

Nevertheless, the Sea Kings, co-champions of the Pacific Coast

League, appeared to outplay the Golden Hawks, offensively, in the

second half. CdM, again, created more scoring chances, but El Dorado

would not budge.

In the 55th minute, El Dorado junior Vince Case scored on a free

kick from about 25 yards out. The Golden Hawks received the free kick

after a hand-ball violation, and then Case caught the right the right

corner of the net. That’s all they would need, as CdM simply could

not break through the Golden Hawks’ defense.

In another CIF Division II first-round game:

* Santa Monica 3, Newport Harbor 1

The Newport Harbor High boys soccer team came up short as the

Vikings earned a 3-1 victory Saturday on the Santa Monica campus.

Jose Surpas scored the Sailors’ only goal in the 70th minute.

Newport Harbor finished second in the Sea View League this year with

a 6-1-2 mark.

Bay League runner-up Santa Monica improved to 17-8-0 overall.

“We just couldn’t deal with the ball in the box,” Newport Harbor

Coach Martyn Hansford said. “It’s very disappointing.”