The Gilroy High and Live Oak High boys
’ soccer teams are not only rivals, but also the two best
programs in the Tri-County Athletic League. So when the pair met
Tuesday night at Mustang Stadium, Acorns’ coach Tony Goble didn’t
attempt to downplay the importance of the match. “This is one of
those games where you lose sleep befor
ehand,” he said. “And just hope you don’t lose any afterward.”
In all likelihood, Goble got a good night’s sleep after the latest
Mustang-Acorn battle. Live Oak remained undefeated with a 2-0
shutout of Gilroy, a team that unraveled as the match
progressed.
The Gilroy High and Live Oak High boys’ soccer teams are not only rivals, but also the two best programs in the Tri-County Athletic League. So when the pair met Tuesday night at Mustang Stadium, Acorns’ coach Tony Goble didn’t attempt to downplay the importance of the match.
“This is one of those games where you lose sleep beforehand,” he said. “And just hope you don’t lose any afterward.”
In all likelihood, Goble got a good night’s sleep after the latest Mustang-Acorn battle.
Live Oak remained undefeated with a 2-0 shutout of Gilroy, a team that unraveled as the match progressed.
On Thursday, the Acorn boys routed host Hollister-San Benito 6-1 to improve to 11-0-4 overall, 4-0 in TCAL, while Gilroy rebounded to slam Salinas 10-0 and keep pace with LO.
But on Tuesday, the Acorns established themselves as the team to beat in the TCAL so far this season, beating the Mustangs to the punch.
“We didn’t do a single thing we talked about in pregame,” GHS coach Brian Hall said. “But give Live Oak credit. They did a great job of stopping us and letting us get any kind of rhythm. They are the better team right now.”
After battling Gilroy to a standstill in the first half, Live Oak scored its first goal with about two minutes to play before halftime.
Gilroy defender Artemio Arteaga was whistled for a swinging elbow in the box and Live Oak’s Anthony Avalos was able to notch the game’s first goal on a penalty kick.
“If I was an official, I wouldn’t have given him the PK,” Goble said. “But it was just one of those calls that could go either way.”
After it went Live Oak’s way, it seemed Gilroy was never quite the same. They not only bickered with the refs, but also among themselves. And, it didn’t go unnoticed over on the Acorn sideline.
“That’s what won us the game,” Live Oak defender Nick Mott said. “We kept our composure until the very end.”
And that was the plan, Goble said.
“The difference was discipline. This is an emotional rivalry and both are good teams. So I told them, ‘Mentally, keep your heads in the game and we’ll do OK.’”
In the second half, the game was fairly evenly matched in terms of ball control. And while Live Oak attempted more shots, GHS goalie Bryan Velasquez came up big with a few excellent saves.
In fact, a Mustang mistake in the field was what ended up handing the Acorns the goal that all but clinched the match with around 17 minutes to go.
On a restart, Live Oak’s much-acclaimed Garrett Frechette, among the area leaders with 14 goals scored, lobbed a pass to a wide-open Mott, whose header hit the left post and bounced in.
Nobody on Gilroy (9-2-1 overall, 2-1 in TCAL) marked Mott and he easily slipped in the back unnoticed.
“Live Oak is a very good team,” Motagalvan said. “But they scored two goals because of our errors.”
The absence of leading scorer Everardo Diaz De Leon didn’t exactly aid the cause.
The senior forward received a red card in Friday’s win at North Salinas, and by rules, was not allowed to play against the Acorns.
Against the Balers, LO’s Bryan Place tallied a pair of goals to lead the Acorns.
