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  • Matthew Reagan, left, of Aliso Niguel heads the ball over...

    Matthew Reagan, left, of Aliso Niguel heads the ball over Brett Jones of Laguna Hills during a Sea View League soccer match at Aliso Niguel High School.

  • Brett Jones of Laguna Hills, left, and Matthew Reagan of...

    Brett Jones of Laguna Hills, left, and Matthew Reagan of Aliso Niguel both go for the kick during a Sea View League soccer match at Aliso Niguel High School.

  • Ryan Souza, left, of Aliso Niguel battles for the ball...

    Ryan Souza, left, of Aliso Niguel battles for the ball against Ryan Bishop of Laguna Hills during a Sea View League soccer match at Aliso Niguel High School.

  • Alex Ames, left, of Aliso Niguel connects with the ball...

    Alex Ames, left, of Aliso Niguel connects with the ball past William Ospina-Torres of Laguna Hills during a Sea View League soccer match at Aliso Niguel High School.

  • Ryan Cooper of Aliso Niguel, left, goes up for the...

    Ryan Cooper of Aliso Niguel, left, goes up for the ball against Brandon Celis, center, and Kevin Catalan of Laguna Hills during a Sea View League soccer match at Aliso Niguel High School.

  • Kevin Catalan of Laguna Hills, center, gets squeezed between Alex...

    Kevin Catalan of Laguna Hills, center, gets squeezed between Alex Ames, left, and Amin Mahjouh of Aliso Niguel during a Sea View League soccer match at Aliso Niguel High School.

  • Amin Mahjouh of Aliso Niguel reacts after his team missed...

    Amin Mahjouh of Aliso Niguel reacts after his team missed a goal in the first period during a Sea View League soccer match at Aliso Niguel High School.

  • Masoud Dildar, left, of Aliso Niguel celebrates after teammate Ryan...

    Masoud Dildar, left, of Aliso Niguel celebrates after teammate Ryan Souza, right, scored a goal in the first period during a Sea View League soccer match at Aliso Niguel High School.

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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

ALISO VIEJO – It is probably the most difficult play to defend in high school boys soccer. It doesn’t involve a head or a foot and it begins off the field, with a player directing the ball on a high-flying arc toward the goal.

A long throw-in can turn the game into a physical battle in the box. Often it is hard to keep track of the ball during the chaos that ensues.

“Normal kids are expecting the throw to be 15 yards, and they forget that a long throw is coming,” Aliso Niguel coach Randy Dodge said. “And Ryan (Souza) threw it deep.”

It is difficult to find anyone in the county who can toss the ball farther than the Wolverines senior defender. Souza fired the ball some 40 yards across the field Friday, and it delivered the winning goal in Aliso’s 3-0 victory against visiting No. 5 Laguna Hills in a Sea View League showdown.

Jacob Huber got his hands on the throw as he leaped to make a save for the Hawks, but he lost control of it and the ball bounced off the crossbar and behind the goal line one minute before halftime.

“Those throws,” Dodge said, “are tough to gauge coming out of the air.”

Souza also provided the assist on Jaden Slusiewicz’s goal that put the Wolverines up, 2-0, in the 48th minute. Collin Ford set the final margin, knocking in a pass from Ryan Cooper in the 70th minute.

The result moves the Wolverines (10-4-1, 5-1-1) into first place with one league game remaining. With a victory over Tesoro on Tuesday, they would clinch the league championship.

Quick, precise passes that use the full width of the field is how Laguna Hills has done most of its damage this season, but Dodge said he used a game plan that took away the midfield. The Hawks (9-5-3, 3-1-2) didn’t put any shots on goal.

“They are way better talent-wise than us,“ Dodge said. “But my guys have competed all year.”

Contact the writer: ddottore@ocregister.com