Gilroy High’s boys soccer team will be playing in the Homestead
Christmas Cup for the second straight year, and the Mustangs will
be facing a familiar foe.
Beating Watsonville 4-3 on penalty kicks in the semifinals
Monday night, after regulation ended in a scoreless draw, Gilroy
hosts Pajaro Valley today at 4 p.m. in the Cup final.
SAN JOSE – Gilroy High’s boys soccer team will be playing in the Homestead Christmas Cup for the second straight year, and the Mustangs will be facing a familiar foe.
Beating Watsonville 4-3 on penalty kicks in the semifinals Monday night, after regulation ended in a scoreless draw, Gilroy hosts Pajaro Valley today at 4 p.m. in the Cup final.
Last season, the Mustangs lost to PV 1-0 after a goal by Gilroy’s Kevin Grove was taken away.
Monday’s Cup victory was the third in a row for Gilroy over an opponent that had yet to lose this season. The Mustangs beat previously unbeaten Oak Grove and Palo Alto to get to this point.
“They were 6-0 before Gilroy came knocking on the door,” Gilroy coach Armando Padilla said of Watsonville.
Goalkeeper Miguel Galvan preserved a shutout for 80-plus minutes for Gilroy, but was taken out of the contest in favor of Christian Lustre, who had proven himself to be excellent in penalty kick situations.
“In practice, he’s shown he has the knack, instincts and reaction time to stop goals,” Padilla said. “And sure enough he stopped one, made one guy miss, and got his hand on another one that went in.”
Galvan didn’t exactly get benched, however, as he scored one of Gilroy’s PKs following shots made by Bruce Ocana and Andy Moya. Taking the first kick and leading 3-1 after Galvan’s goal, Gilroy initially thought it had won the game. Players and coaches rushed the field, not realizing Watsonville still had a chance to extend the contest. A Watsonville goal followed before Gilroy’s Jorge Montana missed, leaving the Mustangs up just 3-2.
“We were kind of shaking in our pants after he missed,” Padilla admitted.
Another Watsonville goal tied the game at 3-all, but Carlos Cortez calmly sealed the game on the next strike.
Victor Garcia scored both of Gilroy’s goals in a 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Palo Alto on Saturday. The first was assisted by Moya, while the second came off of a corner kick by Manual Alec Hernandez.
The Mustangs were originally scheduled to play their alumni game today at 7 p.m., so fans are invited to remain after the contest with Pajaro Valley to watch current and former GHS players take the pitch.
