St. Margaret’s to play for regional title

St. Margaret's Daniel Lind, right, tries to block Cerritos Valley Christian's Jeremy Stanley from the ball during the CIF Division 3 Southern California Regionals Wednesday at St. Margarets High School.
St. Margaret's Owen Smith, right, tries to get possession of the ball away from Cerritos Valley Christian's Jeremy Stanley during the CIF Division 3 Southern California Regionals Wednesday at St. Margarets High School.
St. Margaret's Rostin Amirani, center, is picked up by teammate Samuel Tedori after scoring the first goal of the game during the CIF Division 3 Southern California Regionals Wednesday at St. Margarets High School.
St. Margaret's Owen Smith, left, makes a leap for the ball to get around Cerritos Valley Christian's Joe Martinez during the CIF Division 3 Southern California Regionals Wednesday at St. Margarets High School.
St. Margaret's Angel Ceballos, center, goes for the ball with Cerritos Valley Christian's Brent Van Meeteren as Grant D'Amico looks on during the CIF Division 3 Southern California Regionals Wednesday at St. Margarets High School.

By Damian Dottore | ddottore@scng.com | Orange County Register

March 12, 2014 at 11:41 p.m.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – This season, St Margaret’s boys soccer coach Andrew Maysaid, has been about building memories. And thanks to a pair of goals from Daniel Lind, the Tartans will get another chance to make it one they will likely remember for some time.

After beating Valley Christian of Cerritos, 3-1, in a CIF Southern California Division 3 Regional semifinal on Wednesday, the Tartans will have one more chance to become a champion. Less than a week after losing the CIF-SS Division 6 title match on penalty kicks, St. Margaret’s (21-3) will play top-seeded Farmersville on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Warren High in Downey in its first appearance a regional championship match.

“We met on Monday to talk about that, getting a second chance,” May said of his players. “I tried to refocus their thoughts, so we can have a chance to win the (regional) championship.

“Any time you can win and win trophies, you should go and do it. (The regional championship) is just as important as winning CIF.”

Rostin Amirani played a role in two of the Tartans’ three goals. He gave St. Margaret’s a 1-0 lead in the 33^rd minute with his 20-yard shot and then drew the foul in the box that set up a PK which Lind buried in the left side of the goal in the final minute of first half stoppage time.

The Tartans’ strength, though, is defense, giving up just three goals in seven playoffs games. Two of them have come off set pieces.

Animo Leadership knocked in a free kick against St. Margaret’s in Saturday’s Division 6 championship match. Then on Wednesday, Jeremy Stanley headed in a Jonathan Ramos corner kick in the 71^st minute to bring the Crusaders (16-8-1) to within a goal of the Tartans, 2-1.

“From a coaching point of view that (giving up a goal on a set piece) is very disappointing because usually we are very, very good at them,” May said. “To me, set pieces are about organization and desire to go win the ball, and their player had more desire than we did. That is upsetting.”

Five minutes after Stanley scored, the Crusaders came within inches of tying the score when Clay D’Amico just missed getting a toe on the ball, having a clear shot at the left side of the goal.

In the 79^th, Lind put the game away for the Tartans, curling a 45-yard shot inside the left post, setting the final margin.

“He has done that for us a few times this year, hit game winners,” May said. “His talent is very, very good. He is a player that is only a sophomore and has a lot of potential. That (the goal in the 79^th) was a quality shot. That is what he brings to us.”

Contact the writer: ddottore@ocregister.com