CdM boys’ soccer extends streak with win over Costa Mesa
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The Corona del Mar High School boys’ soccer team will certainly look to take on more challenges as they come along, but it handled its first road test of the season with ease.
Ari Kanazawa, Eduardo Hopkin and Jaden Mwendapole scored goals for the visiting Sea Kings, who remained undefeated this season with a 3-0 win over Costa Mesa in a nonleague match Wednesday.
In his first season at the helm, Sea Kings coach Eddie Bairam has seen his team also earn wins over Beckman and Western. Corona del Mar (3-0) has outscored the opposition 9-2 through its three matches.
“It’s been a good start,” Bairam said. “We’re just going one game at a time. The camaraderie, team spirit has been fantastic, great leadership across the whole group. It’s just a pleasure to work with these boys, and I’m really excited about this program.”
Kanazawa scored the first goal of the match in the 15th minute, finding the right-side netting with a shot across the face of goal.
“We have a strong defense,” said Kanazawa, who wore one of the captains’ armbands along with midfielder Tommy Cianfrani and center back Luca Fasulo. “We have a solid middle, no weakness really, no weak link in our on team. We can work as a team, and then at times, we can work as an individual, and that’s when we score.”
The Sea Kings doubled their lead in the 36th minute. Calvin Fochler, who registered the assist on all three goals, dribbled the ball down toward the left post, then made a drop pass to Hopkin for the scoring strike.
Although Costa Mesa (1-4-1) saw more opportunities in the attacking third in the second half, the Mustangs were seldomly able to threaten CdM goalkeepers Jack Cross and Matt Wood, who made catches when necessary but otherwise saw little action in terms of shots on goal.
Christian Guzman and Nathan Rocha were among those that helped the Mustangs push the ball into CdM’s end of the field more frequently in the second half.
On the other end, Costa Mesa goalkeeper Ethan Smithlin impressed with a leaping save to deny a powerful rising shot by Hopkin, who was making a bid for his second goal of the game. Aiden Markert had just dispossessed Kanazawa of the ball in the box when Hopkin jumped on the loose ball for the scoring chance.
Mwendapole’s goal came in stoppage time to cap the scoring.
The Sea Kings were able to play aggressively, as CdM’s back line showed the closing speed to recover when balls were played in behind them. This was especially noticeable from center back Colin Pene.
“We have a very, very strong midfield, and that’s really what keeps us on the ball, controlling the game,” Pene said. “We’ve got Ari up top, as usual, and Tommy Cianfrani. They’re great at moving the ball, and we’ve just got to keep cool and keep relaxed in the back and just do our job. Today, we started off a little edgy, but then we got our stuff together.”
Mustangs coach Santiago Guzman previously oversaw the lower-level programs at Costa Mesa before being put in charge of the school’s varsity team this season.
“The second half, I believe we had the ball more,” he said. “We actually controlled the game, and we kept them on their heels in the second half. That’s when we started opening the field more, and instead of sending through balls like we were doing in the first half, we started controlling the ball more and trying to go for the wings and looking for those channels.”
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