CIF-SS boys soccer playoffs: Montelongo's goal inspires Pacifica quarterfinal comeback

There’s no way there has ever been a quicker, more decisive response to falling behind in a boys soccer playoff game.

Lynwood were unsuspectingly jubilant after taking the lead in the ninth minute of Friday night’s CIF-Southern Section Division 2 quarterfinal at Pacifica High in Oxnard.

But that only lasted until senior striker Ian Montelongo scored direct from Freddy Lobato’s subsequent kickoff with a 55-yard chip from the center circle to inspire the Tritons’ 3-1 come-from-behind win.

“It was an amazing goal,” Lobato said. “It was a beautiful response to the 1-0 and it happened instantly.”

Lobato finished with two goals and an assist and Montelongo had a goal and an assist as the Tritons advanced to their second semifinal in three years.

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“I usually always try to look for that, to catch the goalie off guard after kickoffs,” Montelongo said. “I tried it a couple times in league, but I’ve been unlucky. I’ve hit posts and stuff. But this time, the goalie was out enough that I could chip it over him. … It felt amazing.”

Montelongo’s counter punch was a point of emphasis from Pacifica head coach Andrew Navarro.

“We saw some of their film and noticed their goalie was coming out a lot,” Navarro said. “That was one of our game plans, to shoot from the outside.”

Lobato gave Pacifica the lead in first-half stoppage time, finishing inside the area from Erick Magana’s low cross from the right.

“I was making a run,” Lobato said. “I saw my friend play a 45 and I just toe-poked it, basically.”

Lobato put the game away in the 65th minute by finishing after a 1-2 pass with Montelongo.

“I played a one-two with my friend,” Lobato said. “He played another 45 and I beat the (defender) to the ball.”

Things briefly turned ugly after the third Pacifica goal. A Lynwood player was sent off for a bad tackle in the 67th minute. The skirmish that followed resulted in a red card for both teams. The match finished with 10 Pacifica players and nine Lynwood players.

Pacifica will visit Redondo Union in Tuesday’s semifinals.

Division 2

Redondo Union 2, Moorpark 2 (Redondo advances 4-1 on PKs): The top-seeded Musketeers’ run ended via tiebreaker.

“We battled the whole game,” Moorpark head coach Manny Galvez said. “We climbed out of being behind (twice). When you go to PKs, it’s a crapshoot. I’ve got to tip my hat to them. They’re really solid.”

In the 52nd minute, Jerry Ramos canceled out Owen Zarnick’s first-half opener for Redondo.

After Redondo retook the lead from the penalty spot, Justin Conyers pulled Moorpark even 2-2 with a penalty kick in the 77th minute.

After two scoreless overtime periods, Redondo advanced on the heroics of goalkeeper Tommy Copnall, who saved three Moorpark penalty kicks in the shootout.

Moorpark ends an epic season 17-1-1, with a Coastal Canyon League title and the program’s first quarterfinal trip in 25 years.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my boys,” Galvez said. “For this to happen, it’s heartbreaking. But I told them at the end of the day, there’s nothing that can take away from what they’ve accomplished this year.”

Division 3

South Torrance 1, Agoura 0: Seth Warner scored from Zach Dewhirst’s far-post ball in the fourth minute and host South Torrance held off waves of Agoura pressure as the Chargers’ unbeaten season ended on the road in the quarterfinals.

“It was a hell of a game, honestly,” Agoura head coach Jaime Alvarado said. “It was a tough battle. They were a tough team, very organized defensively.

“They were able to create that wonderful chance in the first couple minutes. We hit a couple crossbars. Luck didn’t go our way.”

It was Agoura’s first match on a natural surface this season.

“We hadn’t played on grass the whole year,” Alvarado said. “It wasn’t a nice field either. We tried to get a rhythm.”

Agoura ends its season 14-1-5 with a Marmonte League championship.

“I’m extremely proud of the boys and the season that they had,” Alvarado said.

Division 7

Grace Brethren 3, Long Beach-St. Anthony 0: Jeremy Larson had a goal and an assist and Joseph Nandor kept his second straight shutout as the Lancers earned the first semifinal berth in program history.

“The boys are playing well,” said assistant coach Scott Nandor. “Our back line is playing well.”

Larson put the Lancers ahead on the road in the 21st minute. Josh Interiano headed in a long throw from Kai Terentieff to double the lead three minutes after halftime.

Larson set up his brother, Tyler Larson, to score the third with six minutes to play.

“He whipped in a ball from 30 yards out, right onto his brother’s foot,” Nandor said. “It was one of the better passes I’ve seen all season.”

Grace Brethren (10-3-1) will host Menifee-Santa Rosa Academy in Tuesday’s semifinals at a location to be determined.

The Lancers also won three postseason games in 2016, but that included a wild-card game.

“It’s the first semifinal and it’s really exciting for the boys,” Nandor said.

Joe Curley covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage of local high school sports, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Pacifica, Grace Brethren advance to CIF-SS boys soccer semifinals