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  • El Toro senior Adrian Peneloza, right, takes the ball toward...

    El Toro senior Adrian Peneloza, right, takes the ball toward the goal during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division boys soccer playoffs against Paramount, on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • El Toro fans celebrate the team's goal against Paramount during...

    El Toro fans celebrate the team's goal against Paramount during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division boys soccer playoffs on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • El Toro senior Nathan Morgan and Paramount junior Bryan Aguirre...

    El Toro senior Nathan Morgan and Paramount junior Bryan Aguirre chase down the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division boys soccer playoffs against Paramount on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • El Toro senior Christopher Denning takes control of the ball...

    El Toro senior Christopher Denning takes control of the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 boys soccer playoffs against Paramount on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • El Toro sophomore Evan Gonzalez hugs a teammate after defeating...

    El Toro sophomore Evan Gonzalez hugs a teammate after defeating Paramount during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 boys soccer playoffs against at Paramount High School, on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • El Toro sophomore Evan Gonzalez heads the ball during the...

    El Toro sophomore Evan Gonzalez heads the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 boys soccer playoffs against at Paramount High School, on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • El Toro junior Brandon Parsio celebrates with teammates and fans...

    El Toro junior Brandon Parsio celebrates with teammates and fans after defeating Paramount in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 boys soccer playoffs at Paramount High on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Damian Dottore. Sports. HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Associate Mug Shot taken August 24, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

PARAMOUNT – It was at the end of December when the El Toro boys soccer team hit rock bottom by losing six consecutive matches.

A team filled with so much potential and 19 seniors seemed to be flying off the rails. Coach Shawn Watts knew the time had come to sit the Chargers down for a long talk.

Sometimes, he said, you have to be kicked into the gutter to reach the top. It was too early to give up.

The Chargers slowly started to believe in themselves. The wins began to come. The Chargers finally bought into the system and what the coaches were telling them. A South Coast League championship followed.

But the Chargers were just getting started, and now after shutting out host Paramount, 1-0, on Tuesday, only 80 minutes stand between them and a CIF-SS Division 1 championship.

This is the second time in three seasons the Chargers have advanced to the title match. Servite beat the Chargers, 2-0, in the 2015 final.

“This year to do what we are doing is something special,” Watts said. “They worked so hard to regroup the way thay we have, it is Cinderella story. All we wanted to do in the playoffs was survive and advance.”

The Chargers (16-10-2) didn’t take the easy way into the championship match against the winner of the Redlands East Valley/Palos Verdes match, which will be played Friday or Saturday at a site to be determined. To get there, they had to beat top-seeded Cathedral, the No. 6 team in the state, and the Pirates (23-5-2), the ninth-ranked team in California according to MaxPreps.com

“I knew that we had the talent and the grit to do it even back in December,” Watts said. “And we were able to make the sacrifices when it really mattered.”

The Pirates thrive on ball control and they like to get their outside backs forward, so Watts told the Chargers to sit in deeper and let Paramount come to them.

It was as game plan that gave the Chargers a scant few minutes of possession. But they made the most of what little they got. In the 24th minute, Elijah Amadin knocked in a long throw from Nathan Morgan. Oscar Sierra grabbed the shot and tried to make the save, but he carried the ball over the goal line.

A few inches made all of the difference for the Chargers again in the second half when Michael Guerra took a shot from just outside the box, but the ball bounced off the far post and harmlessly into the arms of Mac Hutchins, who made seven saves for the Chargers.

“It has been a whirlwind of a year,” Watts said. “These guys rallied. I am so proud of them. We weathered the storm for a reason. Hopefully that means we are holding a CIF championship plaque.”

In Division 2:

Valencia 2, Santa Maria 1: Devin Cornejo and Mario Luna both scored for the Tigers (24-4-0) in their victory at Santa Maria High.

Hueneme X, Godinez X: xxxxxxxx

Contact the writer: ddottore@scng.com