“What can you tell them.” CV boys soccer loses again in section final to Bella Vista
This couldn’t happen again for the Central Valley boys soccer team.
After six losses in CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship games, the Hawks weren’t going to lose.
Not to Bella Vista, the team they lost to in penalty kicks last year.
On Saturday at Liberty Ranch in Galt, the nightmare continued for Central Valley as they fell to Bella Vista in penalty kicks, 4-3, in the Division II title. It was Bella Vista’s third straight championship.
“It’s hard to describe this,” Hawks coach Omar Leon said. “A lot of should’ve, would’ve.”
As Broncos (16-3-3) senior goalie Andrew Bimson ran to his teammates to celebrate after stopping the final CV attempt, Hawks’ players fell to the ground with that feeling that had become all too familiar.
Disbelief. Shock.
Said one assistant coach: “It’s the cruelest way to lose.”
Leon even said 99% of the time, his players make penalty kick attempts, a shot they do at practice every day.
Bella Vista junior Alberto Deleon had the only scoring opportunity in the first half when his shot went just right of the net from just outside the box in the eighth minute. Central Valley (20-4-3) struggled to get the ball into Bella Vista’s zone and played defense for much of the first half.
In the 55th minute, Hawks senior Sebastian Castillo scored the game’s first goal on a free-kick from the 25 yards out that went into the left corner of the net.
Leon said his team “dominated” the second half but they made one mistake and it was costly.
In the 74th minute, a Central Valley defender allowed a Bella Vista forward to get past him and the two got tangled up in the box, forcing a penalty kick for the Broncos.
Senior Aaron Farnan tied the game at one as his PK went just past the right-hand of Central Valley senior goalie, Erick Martinez-Stucchi.
The score remained tied at one at the end of regulation and neither team had any scoring opportunities in the two 10-minute overtime periods.
Farnan scored the game-winning penalty kick in the fifth round for the Broncos.
“We had our objective (win a section title) all year and made sacrifices,” Leon said. “It’s hard to digest.”
Central Valley will play in the NorCal playoffs, which begin Tuesday.
This story was originally published February 29, 2020 at 10:41 PM.
