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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

SAN CLEMENTE – For the first time in the three seasons that Servite has been in field of the Lotto Western Sports showcase, the Friars will have a chance to win the championship in what has become one of the premier boys soccer tournaments in the nation.

“It is just one step in the process of the season,” Servite coach Jon Spencer said. “We want to win the championship, but we want to keep progressing. Today we were significantly better.”

The Friars dominated possession, rarely letting Auburndale of Florida advancing past the center line, and got two goals from ASA Fuller to cruise to a 3-0 semifinal victory against the Bloodhounds on Friday at San Clemente High.

The Friars will face Corona del Sol from South Tempe, Ariz.  in Saturday’s championship match which begins at 6 p.m.

“We have graduated 27 seniors in the past two season, but we have rebuilt,” Spencer said. “We are happy with where we are at. We are in a good place. We have a good group of seniors.”

Three of those seniors delivered for the Friars on Friday, playing a role in all three of the Friars’ goals.

Alejandro Pinon-Maldonado scored what turned out to be the game winner in the 22nd minute, redirecting a long throw from Timothy Burke.

Ten minutes later, Fuller extended the Friars lead to 2-0 when he scored the first of his two goals after weaving around two Bloodhound defenders and leaping over another before he fired a low line drive inside the left post.

The only time the Bloodhounds mounted any kind of an attack on Friday was when Noah Sims and Ducarmel Jennestin sprinted down the right side of the field on the counter attack, but the Friars senior goal keeper Kevin Barrera turned away each Auburndale shot to help Servite post its third shutout.

“We are getting some really good goalkeeping,” Spencer said. “He has done an excellent job.”

In the 36th minute, Servite junior midfielder Nicolas Hernandez smashed into the Auburndale goalkeeper. He laid on the field for about a minute holding his head before he staggered off the field on his own. Spencer said Hernandez is “all good.”