Log jam on top

Bryce Alderton

The question surrounding Wednesday night’s boys soccer game between

visiting Newport Harbor High and Woodbridge to cap the regular season

was whether there would be company celebrating a Sea View League

championship.

Better bring in a few extra tables.

The Sailors had earned at least a share of the Sea View League

title -- for the first time since 1997 -- with a victory Friday

against Laguna Hills, but a 1-0 loss to Woodbridge at Alton Athletic

Park Wednesday, coupled with Foothill’s 6-1 victory over Irvine, gave

Newport, Woodbridge and Foothill each a share of the crown.

The Tars (14-6, 7-3 in league) outshot the Warriors (13-2-3,

6-2-2) in the second half, 8-2, and spent a majority of the first

half in the attacking zone, but couldn’t capitalize.

League rules allot two points for a win and one for a tie.

Foothill also finished 6-2-2 in league. Newport split both games with

Woodbridge and Foothill, so a coin flip will determine playoff

seedings.

Despite the setback, first-year Newport Coach Ryan Hernandez had

no complaints about his team’s effort or the outcome.

“There is nothing more we could have done,” Hernandez said. “We

definitely put [the Warriors] on their heels.”

Woodbridge senior goalkeeper Adam Hahn, who received a scholarship

to play at Harvard University next season, made five saves in the

second half, including a sliding grab on a ball Newport senior Chase

Kelly sent on the ground within the six-yard box after receiving a

pass from senior Matt Tracy.

“[Hahn] made a huge save there,” Hernandez said. “[The Warriors]

were the better team.”

The Sailors defeated Woodbridge, 3-1, in the teams’ earlier

meeting this season.

“We had payback on our minds. [The Sailors] beat us pretty bad

last time, so we wanted revenge,” first-year Woodbridge Coach Gustav

Gratzer said.

The Warriors have now won at least a share of the last four league

titles, the prior three outright. The defending CIF Southern Section

Division II co-champions are ranked No. 8 this season.

Sophomore Jesse Chun sped down the east sideline and veered into

the 18-yard box to score the game’s lone goal in the 25th minute.

After that, the Sailors’ defense tightened up with Chase Kelly and

Eduardo Garcia covering most of the field and quickly turning the

ball toward senior midfielders Skyler Taugher and Will Guzman.

Midway through the second half Taugher controlled a rebound, but

his shot from 18 yards out sailed left.

Senior forward Joel Walker said the Woodbridge did a good job of

dropping more players back on defense to neutralize him and teammate

Matt Tracy, but commended Newport’s effort to get around a stingy

defense in the second half.

“We were really close two times, but, overall, that was one of our

best games of the year,” Walker said. “At halftime, [Hernandez]

talked about going outside and then getting behind the defense. We

were finally able to do that, but it wasn’t enough.

“It is a bummer because we played better all year round, but we

just had two bad games [losses to Aliso Niguel and Foothill]. We are

solid league champs.”