GILROY – On paper, it appeared that the game between the Gilroy
High and Alisal boys soccer teams couldn’t have come at a better
time for the Mustangs.
But after Forrest Alvarez tied the matter at 1-1 late in the
first half, the Trojans countered right back for a 2-1 halftime
advantage and did not look back, defeating the Mustangs 4-2 to
claim the TCAL crown.
GILROY – On paper, it appeared that the game between the Gilroy High and Alisal boys soccer teams couldn’t have come at a better time for the Mustangs.
Winners of its last five contests, GHS needed a victory against the Trojans on Tuesday to put themselves in the driver’s seat toward a Tri-County Athletic League championship.
But after Forrest Alvarez tied the matter at 1-1 late in the first half, the Trojans countered right back for a 2-1 halftime advantage and did not look back, defeating the Mustangs 4-2 to claim the TCAL crown.
The night was not a total wash, though, with seven Mustangs seniors honored before the game; a group that experienced Gilroy’s Central Coast Section championship as freshmen.
However, when the final whistle blew and the Trojans’ began their celebration the magnitude of the situation hit like a brick and the seniors walked off the field showing a variety of emotions, pulling their shirts over their heads, some taking a few minutes to stand from their crouched positions.
“This is a tough loss,” senior captain Jose Luis Lopez said. “We fought to the end.”
The Trojans have had the Mustangs’ number, picking up three victories over GHS this season.
“They have been dominant the last two years,” head coach Armando Padilla said. “They beat us three times in a row and that’s tough to do. It’s tough to beat a team, especially with two even teams, three times in a row – and they did that tonight.”
The contest had all the makings of a playoff game; the intensity level thick from the get go.
The Mustangs had the first opportunity to take the lead five minutes into the game. After an indirect kick from 40 yards away was deflected out of bounds, earning a corner kick for the Mustangs, the ensuing set play resulted in three point-blank chances in front of the Trojans’ net, but goalie Chris Cruz kept things at 0-0.
The Trojans scored on a set piece of their own minutes later, and held the 1-nil advantage until deep into the first half.
Needing to get back into the game, the Mustangs passing picked up and they began to connect and make runs toward the net. Eventually their persistence paid off as Alejandro Gaeta sent a pretty through ball into the box where a diving Forrest Alvarez headed the ball into the net to finish off the highlight-reel play.
“I think we did a better job of moving the ball forward and getting into the attacking third and creating chances,” Padilla said.
The tide changed moments later. After Luis Lopez and an Alisal player bumped heads going for the ball, and both went down in a heap.
Padilla walked onto the field and was immediately shown a red card by the official.
The referee thought Padilla had inappropriately contested the call and tossed the seven-year coach.
“I should not have gone on the field,” Padilla said. “I take full responsibility. It was a misunderstanding. I was concerned for my player and the Alisal player.”
The Trojans scored a minute later to take their 2-1 halftime lead and went up 3-1 until the Mustangs made it interesting with five minutes left on a Johnathan Diaz De Leon goal to cut the deficit to 3-2. But again, the Trojans countered and scored in stoppage time to seal the win.
