Warriors Fall to Cerritos in SCC Tournament Third Place Game

TORRANCE, Calif. - In a battle between two of the top teams in the state and the country, the Warriors fell to the Cerritos Falcons 4-3 in the third place game of the South Coast Conference tournament on Thursday afternoon at the Warrior Soccer Field.  

It was another evenly matched game in a sequel of the first game that ended in a 1-1 draw during the regular season.  However, both sides were playing on one day's rest after both sides lost their semifinal matches on Tuesday in penalties.  The Warriors fell to 14-2-4 for the season overall and the Falcons improved to 13-2-5 for the season.  

On the Warriors first attack of the game, they scored.  Isaac Machuca sent in a cross to Alek Palomares at the top of the middle of the box.  He brought the ball down perfectly where the Cerritos defender could only either foul him and give the Warriors a penalty or give him space. Palomares utilized the space and sent in a low shot past the keeper to put the Warriors on top 1-0.  

After the goal from the Warriors.  Both sides settled into the match with the Warriors outshooting the Falcons 10-to-5 for the half. In the second half, there was five goals in the match.  

The Falcons equalized to start the second half in the 53rd minute.  After the Warriors defense gave up a corner kick on some miscommunication the Falcons took advantage of the situation.  Cesar Solarzano Garcia sent a perfect ball to Donovan Perez for an open header to the left of the goal for the Falcons goal to make it a 1-1 game

The Falcons went ahead 2-1 a few minutes later on another headed goal.  Donovan Perez sent a cross from the top left of the box to Pedro Reyes who headed a looping ball over Robert Baker into the net.  

The Warriors tied the game back up in the 61st minute on a counterattack.  Sebastian Gomez played a through ball to the left side to a streaking Aldahir Rua.  Rua hit a perfect low shot to the far post to beat the Cerritos keeper to make it a 2-2 game.

In the 80th minute, Cerritos retook the lead 3-2.  Daniel Vazquez played  a ball from the top of the box down the left side to Erick Velasco.  Velasco shot it to the low far post past the Warriors keeper for the goal.  

In the 88th minute Velasco scored his second goal of the game and the eventual gamewinner.  He controlled the ball on top of the box and wiggled past a couple Warriors defenders.  He shot it to the lower left corner to make it a 4-2 game for the Falcons.  

The Warriors got a late goal in extra time to make it a 4-3 game.  On a freekick, Joshua Zendejas sent a ball into the middle of the box.  Fernando Sandoval headed it back to Steven Alvarenga for a shot into a wide open goal.  

The Warriors had one more chance in the final minutes of injury time after a freekick was called near the same spot.  However, a foul was called against the Warriors inside the box during the freekick negating any chance the Warriors had to tie the game.  

The Warriors will await their postseason fate when the 3C2A Southern California Playoff brackets are announced next week.  The Warriors should be one of the higher seeds and begin their quest for another state title most likely next Saturday at home at the Warrior Soccer Field.