OCEANSIDE – Corbin Mercado and Wilbert Valle scored in the second half to lead Servite to a 2-1 victory against host Oceanside in the national pool championship match of the So Cal High School Classic on Friday.
Valle struck first, knocking in a penalty kick in the 42nd minute. His 12th goal of the season evened the score, 1-1.
Mercado scored the winner in the 65th minute, flicking in a free kick from Tim Burke.
“But this is just one game in a long season, Servite coach Jon Spencer said. “We are happy we won, but I would rather focus on winning the games at the end of the season.”
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute when Donovan Wilson’s 10-yard shot bounced off the left post and into the right side of the goal.
Oceanside had a chance to tie the score in the 74th minute when Connor Daugherty lined up to take a penalty kick, but Kevin Barrera made the correct choice, diving to his right to make the save for the Friars.
“He has been iron for us,” Spencer said.
In another So Cal High School Classic match:
San Clemente 2, Desert Mirage 1: Kaleb Schirmacher and Fernando Ramirez each scored in the first half to lead the Tritons to victory in the coast pool championship match.
Michael Saba assisted on both scores. Schirmacher redirected a Saba corner kick in the 10th minute and Ramirez headed in a free kick from Saba in the 14th.
“This is the toughest tournament in California,” San Clemente coach Michael Pronier said. “During the tournament we found our balance.”
Contact the writer: ddottore@scng.com
