Laguna Beach boys’ soccer draws with University, misses chance to move into first

Laguna Beach held command of the Pacific Coast League’s boys’ soccer race for a good stretch of Friday night’s showdown with first-place University, its aggressively direct approach dictating terms much of the way.

A penalty kick near the close of the first half provided the Breakers an advantage that lasted almost to the finish, coming undone on an unfortunate goal with 13 minutes to go, stoppage included. The 1-1 draw left things as they were: University with a two-point lead in the standings and one game to go.

Laguna Beach (9-4-5, 8-2-3 in the Pacific Coast League, 27 points), which last won a league title 28 years ago, when they were still the Artists, must win Tuesday’s regular-season finale at Portola (6-8-1, 6-7, 18 points) and rely on St. Margaret’s (6-6-5, 6-5-2, 20 points), at University (9-3-3, 9-2-2, 29 points), for help. The Trojans claim the title, their first since 2019, with a win. A draw guarantees a share. Both opponents, among four in contention for the league’s final two playoff berths, face win-or-done situations.

“I think a league championship would be nice, but CIF’s the main goal for us,” said Dylan Petrie-Norris, the Breakers’ catalyst in midfield (with fellow senior Luke Singer pivotal behind him). “[It’s the] last year all the kids we grew up with [are here], we’re just looking to win the CIF title. [A league championship] is just a second thing for us.”

Laguna Beach, brutally outclassed by the possession-savvy Trojans in the first meeting, went quick-strike to exploit the space in its attacking third, feasting on a spirited, chaos-inflicting mentality that quickly took University out of its game.

“We’ve been trying to get that out with them all season,” Laguna Beach coach Andy Thomas said. “They haven’t been playing [the ball behind opposing back lines] early enough, because the space behind is there early. And if you don’t play the ball early, then [defenders] drop in, and that space is gone.”

The Breakers’ constant pressure was mostly and often precariously absorbed, credit to towering center back Cole Barkett’s last-man-level defending. Nayan Martlin’s sizzling, cross-box shot past the left post in the 14th minute came closest until Julian Reichel in the 35th minute danced past three defenders and was knocked down. Jack Hooper converted the penalty kick.

There was some dispute: University defender Luis Garduño was clearly fouled, with no whistle, just before he brought down Reichel. It would be repaid.

The Trojans didn’t find a path until swapping midfield systems, from a trio to a diamond, at halftime.

“We lost our patience a little bit and tried to match frantic with frantic,” University coach Martin Wallwork said. “Halftime, we said, ‘Look, we win this game by playing. We’ve got to get it down and show a little bit of patience,’ and the pressure finally told.”

It took time to find penetration, and then largely through set pieces. Laguna Beach in the meantime might have extended its lead in the 46th minute (Reichel denied at the top-left corner by goalkeeper Lucca Clouthier), in the 49th minute (Hooper firing high one-on-one from Martlin’s against-the-grain through ball) or the 54th minute (Clouthier parrying Martlin’s header from Petrie-Norris’ free kick, the rebound bouncing off and away from Max Garner).

An eight-minute onslaught evened things. Barkett nearly equalized in the 65th minute, heading a free kick off the left post, and it was 1-1 in the 72nd minute. Like the penalty kick before it, there was controversy.

University striker Jake Rabold, chasing Masoon Malki’s through ball to the edge of the box, collided with sliding goalkeeper Cole Anderson, who appeared to take control of the ball. The ball was knocked loose, which isn’t allowed if Anderson has possession, and Simon Hodgkinson drilled it inside the left post of an empty net.

“We had it, for sure, but it’s the game, that’s how it goes,” Singer said. “Sometimes refs make [the wrong] call. Our keeper had control.”

Laguna Beach applied heavy pressure the rest of the way, winning four corner kicks and forging constant chaos in University’s box, but Clouthier was masterful in alleviating the danger.

“Probably the fairest result ...,” said Thomas, who won three CIF titles, the last in 2002, during his first stint at Laguna Beach. “That could have been a final or a semifinal. Two teams going at it to try to win the game. Really, really great game of soccer.”