Eagles can’t topple ‘Runners

Estancia plays with fire, but Saddleback responds early and late in Golden West League showdown.COSTA MESA -- The Estancia High boys’ soccer team had been hungry to play powerhouse Saddleback, which is ranked No. 1 in CIF Southern Section’s Division III, since the season started. Estancia felt in order to be the best, they’d have to beat the best.

The Eagles may have given their best during Friday’s Golden West League showdown, but it wasn’t enough in a 2-0 loss to Saddleback at Estancia High.

The Roadrunners scored early in the first half when Eagles goalkeeper Marco Burciaga made a diving save on Jeffrey Cervantes and Beto Godinez swooped in to kick in the rebound.

The Roadrunners (7-1 overall, 3-0 in league) held on tightly to the 1-0 lead for most of the game. The Eagles put on occasional offensive pressure, but could not penetrate Saddleback’s defense with any kind of regularity.

With two talented teams, it often looked like a ball-handling clinic, but the Roadrunners were able to do more in Estancia’s zone while sealing off the center of the field on defense.

“I have to give those guys credit. They crowded the middle and had two guys to the ball every time,” Estancia Coach Gannon Burks said. “Our guys played good, but Saddleback played better. They wanted the ball more and they won more balls.”

The action was heated in the second half, when there was a whistle every few minutes. Eric Duarte, one of Estancia’s most effective players, earned his second yellow card early in the half and had to watch the remainder of the game from the sideline. Leo Guzman earned a yellow on the same play for the Roadrunners.

Soon after, Saddleback’s Cervantes got behind the Estancia defense twice in the 18-yard box, but one of his shots floated high and Burciaga saved the other.

Estancia nearly tied the score after Pedro Duarte was taken down on a run down the right sideline. Daniel Perez sent the ensuing free kick just wide of the net from 25 yards out.

The Eagles had another chance when Perez sent a free kick to Jose Rodriguez at the top of the box, but Rodriguez’s shot sailed inches over the crossbar late in the second half. It marked Estancia’s last quality scoring opportunity when the game was still in reach.

“I felt that our game management was the difference,” Saddleback Coach Mel Silva said. “We kicked the ball around when we needed to and put on pressure when we needed to.”

Saddleback added its second goal in injury time, when Cervantes scored on a pretty bicycle kick off of Isidro Guevara’s free kick to ice the game.

Duarte slipped between the Saddleback defenders in the final minute, but his shot in the box was saved by the Roadrunners netminder to preserve the shutout.

All three of Saddleback’s wins have come by way of shutout.

“It was a tight game after the first goal, until that last one, when the kid put in a nice bicycle kick,” Burks said.

Estancia, with Alex Salguero, Robert Abarca and Pedro and Eric Duarte putting in solid games, gave Saddleback all it could handle.

“We always seem to have trouble with them here,” Silva said. “They always get up for us. They tied us last year, which was one of the only blemishes on our record, so we knew this would be a tough game.”

Even with the loss, the Eagles (7-7-1, 3-1-1) feelthey still have a shot at the league title.

“This was a big game for us. Both of these teams were undefeated in league, and we were trying to get some respect,” Burks said. “If you beat the best, then you are the best. But we feel we can still compete with this team. We don’t feel like we’re out of it. We still get to play them one more time at their place.”

Estancia will give it one more shot against the Roadrunners on Feb. 6 at Saddleback High. The Eagles will try to get back on track Wednesday when they host Santa Ana.

Golden West League

Saddleback 2, Estancia 0

Score by Halves