TERRA LINDA TOPS SAN MARIN IN NCS - Marin Independent Journal

BOYS SOCCER

TERRA LINDA TOPS SAN MARIN IN NCS

Brandt scores twice to lift Trojans into Division III quarterfinals

Terra Linda’s Reid Brandt (23) is trailed by San Marin defenders as he heads down the field with the ball at their North Coast Section Division III first-round game in San Rafael on Tuesday No. 6 seed Terra Linda defeated No. 11 seed San Marin 2-1. Brandt scored both goals for Terra Linda. PHOTOS BY SHERRY LAVARS — MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

Terra Linda goalkeeper Emilio Hadden makes a save against San Marin at their North Coast Section Division III first-round game in San Rafael on Tuesday.

Image

By Ian Ross

iross@marinij.com

Reid Brandt had two really good looks at goal for the Terra Linda High boys soccer team and was clinical with both, giving the host Trojans just enough to move past San Marin 2-1 in the first round of the North Coast Section Division III playoffs on Tuesday.

“I’ve been lamenting the fact that our biggest Achilles’ heel has been finishing,” Terra Linda coach Mike Crivello said. “We’ve been in a lot of games where two, three, four chances we just squander and we end up losing 1-0 or 2-1 and it comes back to bite us. It almost did again today because we should have had a few more.”

The No. 6 Trojans (8-7-2) will stay at home for Friday’s quarterfinals against 14 James Logan (14-7-3) — 2-0 upset winners against No. 3 Las Lomas.

Brandt’s first goal came in the 18th minute after he received a long pass from Andrew Santos. Brandt, who was out wide to the left, took a touch inside to shed his defender then unleashed a powerful shot from outside the 18-yard box that beat San Marin goalie Dylan Havling to the near post.

“Reid was open on the back post, did a great job of just settling it and just hammering it home,” Crivello said. “I think he saw the keeper wasn’t covering that near post and he kind of roofed it but it was near post. It was an absolutely fantastic ball, it was a better finish.”

Brandt’s goal put TL in front after San Marin had created a flurry of chances inside the first 15 minutes. TL kept control of the game through halftime then Brandt helped the Trojans double the lead before San Marin (7-7-4) got a touch on the ball to start the second half.

TL took the opening kick, played it backwards, then launched an attack through Johan Cifuentes, who was playing as a striker for this game. Cifuentes found Brandt to his left, who finished again for a 2-0 lead.

“It was definitely a really good moment to have that security of the second goal,” Brandt said. “Not that we eased off after that but we were able to calm ourselves down and play more cleanly.”

The game felt comfortable for a while for TL but eventually the Mustangs flipped the momentum back in the last 20-plus minutes. The first warning shot came following a shot corner routine that ended with Ivan Gomez shooting from outside the 18-yard box. TL freshman goalie Emilio Hadden, who was just called up from JV, parried the ball off his crossbar to keep the game scoreless.

San Marin climbed back into the game in the 65th minute when Nico Romero made a run down the right sideline then found Dylan Crafter who scored to cut the lead to 2-1.

“We were creating most of our chances off the counter,” San Marin coach Ben Philpot said. “I think it came either off a punt or a quick restart and Nico Romero went down the line, did a good job to get to it, and Crafty came in the middle and just screamed for it and. (Romero) played it back to (Crafter) and Crafty finished it like he always seems to against Terra Linda.”

TL had a chance to put the game to bed in the 70th minute on a free kick just outside the box. Havling caught the ball right on his line but his momentum was taking him — and the ball — back into his own net. Havling released the ball before it went across his line. Two TL attackers were crashing the net but neither was able to get a shot off and Havling recovered the ball to end the threat.

It was Hadden’s turn to make a big play in TL’s goal in the 74th minute. San Marin’s Chris Masariegos put a shot on target but Hadden went high and pushed it just over the corner of the goal for another corner.

“Emilio has a lot of experience for club and played a lot of key minutes for JV this year,” Crivello said. “We had confidence in him that he could step in and do the job. For a freshman, he was outstanding.”

San Marin was awarded a corner on what would amount to the final kick of the game. Joshua Calderon served the ball into the box. San Marin, with nothing to lose on the final play, brought Havling out of his goal and into TL’s box. Halving’s header went wide left by maybe a foot or two then the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the game.

“It was good to see the guys battle back,” Philpot said. “I feel like we lacked some confidence and the goal obviously helped build that back up. … Sometimes (the players) don’t always believe. Our program, the biggest thing we’re trying to change is that belief and that we can compete. I feel like we’ve had talented teams the last several years but we haven’t always had the right mentality to compete in MCAL, which is so tough to win.”

Around the county

• Sam Clark made Tam’s fifth and final penalty to lift the host Red-tailed Hawks into the D-III quarterfinals following a 1-1 tie against Benicia on Tuesday. Mateo Hale scored off an assist from Devin Perkins inside the final 20 minutes to put No. 4 Tam (9-6-5) up 1-0. Benicia scored with about two minutes left to fore extra time. Tam got successful spot kicks from Noah Pederson, Marco Caruso, and Clark to win the game. Tam is set to host a quarterfinal on Friday against either No. 5 De Anza or No. 12 Analy.

• Willy Finley and Sean Chamberlin scored goals to lift No. 4 Archie Williams to a 2-1 road victory against No. 12 Piner on Tuesday night. Both goals were assisted by Jake Morrison. The Peregrine Falcons (10-4-5) are set to host a quarterfinal on Friday against No. 5 Bishop O’Dowd or No. 12 Maria Carrillo.