GILROY — Gilroy coach Armando Padilla gave his team just one job heading into overtime: Make a statement.
Senior Luis Urias answered the call, scoring in the 103rd minute to break the tie that stood for 44 minutes prior. Urias’ fell to his knees in celebration before being mobbed by his teammates. His goal was all the Mustangs would need to win 2-1 over Woodside in OT of the first round of the Division II Central Coast Section playoffs on a rainy Wednesday night at home to keep their season alive.
“I was just frustrated because the ball was just moving from one end to the other,” Urias said. “He (Padilla) just told me to make a statement in the game and this is my time. I showed up in the last five minutes of the game.”
The No. 5 seeded Gilroy will now face No. 4 Mt. Pleasant in the quarterfinals Saturday, though the time and place are still yet to be determined.
Though Woodside entered the game as the No. 12 seed, Padilla wasn’t fooled. His research revealed that his team would have its hands full and the Mustangs weren’t disappointed.
“I found that they had a 10-1 stretch at one point — 10 wins, one loss,” the Gilroy coach said. “Any team that can put together 10 wins in an 11 game stretch you know they’re going to be pretty good. Obviously they were, they were a very technical team. It was a great matchup.”
Gilroy got on the board first with a goal by Alejandro Flores on an assist from Andres Jimenez to lead 1-0 in the sixth minute.
Woodside’s chances in the first were limited by excellent Gilroy defense, but it capitalized on the home team’s slow start in the second half. Jesus Mendoza scored the equalizer just nine minutes into the second half to tie the game at 1-1.
Both goalies were stellar in net, deflecting everything that came their way. Gilroy had multiple second half chances, but Woodside’s keeper, Luis Casterjon, was always one step ahead. Sean Kaufman’s shot in the 60th minute looked to be a sure goal over the Casterjon’s head, but the Wildcat jumped up at the last second to get a hand on it and batted it away.
Angel Velasquez was equally as good in the Gilroy net, stopping late Woodside chances that could’ve ended the game in regulation. The Wildcats had a chance to win it with a penalty kick inside the final two minutes, but took too long to set up and time expired before they got their shot off.
“Both goalies did a tremendous job,” Padilla said. “Our goalie came up big when he had to and made some great saves. He kept us in the game. The same could be said for their goalie as well.”
Overtime was a chance for the Mustangs to change the tempo of the game. Instead of playing back-and-forth long ball, Urias said his coach told them to go out and play their game instead.
“Through our last two 10s (minute halves) that we had, we talked about him (Urias) getting a little bit more involved defensively and offensively,” Padilla said. “Obviously he proved that he was involved and that he was going to make a statement. In the end, his goal wins the game.”
And as for the rain, that was the least of the Urias’s worries.
“I love playing in the rain — it’s one of my favorite weathers to play in,” he said. “My hair, yeah, it was kind of messing it up and pushing it (the water) down into my eyes, but it’s fine. I love the rain, it just makes it fun.”
