JSerra strength too much for surprising Northwood

Click here to see a slide show from this contest and some of Tuesday's other games.

IRVINE - The question as to whether second-seeded JSerra would take surprise semifinalist Northwood lightly was answered in the opening minutes of Tuesday's contest.

The Lions scored in the first minutes of the contest and they went on to defeat the Timberwolves, 2-0, in a CIF-SS Division 1 boys soccer semifinal at Meadowood Park.

JSerra (23-4-2) will face Harvard-Westlake of Studio City in the championship match. The time and site of that match will be announced Wednesday by CIF-SS.

Northwood, which recorded two consecutive upsets over higher-seeded opponents in the postseason, ends the season 7-7-6.

“The boys came to play,” JSerra coach Davor Fabulich. “At the beginning of the year our goal was to reach the CIF final and compete for the championship. I could tell the boys were ready on the way over here.”

Northwood put pressure on JSerra on the opening kickoff, but the Lions answered right back with a missed header attempt. Northwood had three shots the rest of the half, but nothing serious as the game was played mostly in JSerra’s half.

Cristian Canales scored on a corner kick shot that deflected off the keeper’s hands and into the net. Dylan Seedman almost scored on a similar shot minutes before.

“He stung it,” Northwood coach Josh Brooks said. “We did a poor job of defending the front post.”

Northwood’s offense showed up more consistently in the second half. The Timberwolves had an opportunity to tie the score off a corner kick, but Jake Murray’s shot was stopped by Kyle Pierce.

JSerra scored its second goal when Dylan Seedman penetrated deep down the right sideline. He played the ball back to Juan Gutierrez, who beat his defender and connected on the short-range shot to make it 2-0 in the 62nd minute.

Northwood entered the matching with victories over St. Francis and San Clemente to make the semifinal. The team began the year with longtime coach Steve Tatone at the helm.

However, Tatone received a promotion at his other job, and he wasn’t able to commit to the time frame of coaching any longer. Brooks took over.

Either way, there wasn’t anyone who expected the Timberwolves to reach this point in the season.

“We had dinner last night and I asked the kids when they started the year did they think they would be playing JSerra in the semifinals and they said no,” Brooks said. “We thought there was no reason it was going to end.”

Fabulich said JSerra was well aware of what Northwood had done and that the Timberwolves had the team’s full attention.

“We know Northwood beat everyone in their way and they fight hard,” Fabulich said.