The Live Oak boys soccer team recorded a 2-0 win at North
Salinas on Saturday to secure a Central Coast Section playoff
berth.
The Live Oak boys soccer team recorded a 2-0 win at North Salinas on Saturday to secure a Central Coast Section playoff berth.
But just making the playoffs is not good enough. Gilroy is breathing down Live Oak’s neck while jockeying for the league title. The Tri-County Athletic League title will come down to the final match of the season against Gilroy, who Live Oak defeated at Gilroy earlier in the season.
“We are shooting for the league championship and a home field match,” Goble said. “We probably need to win all three of our remaining games to guarantee the home field advantage. Live Oak is a place we are comfortable playing at. It is a good quality field. First or second is up in the air between us Gilroy. And it will be all the way to the end. If we win the final two of three games, they (Gilroy) would still be a half a game behind if we lost them.”
The first goal against North Salinas came in about the 20th minute. Hussein Abdullahi received a ball from Cesar Serrano on a through pass. Abdullahi hit the back post with a hard ground shot for the goal. In about the 60th minute, Sergio Avila was taken down in the box, and Serrano made the penalty shot.
“Sergio and Cesar are the team captains,” Goble said. “Either one of them is capable of making the shot. Cesar is very sure-footed and has got very good placement.
North Salinas gave Live Oak all it could handle with its physical play.
“It was a lot closer than 2-0,” Goble said. “They had a couple chances and they just didn’t put in. We controlled the first half. But they controlled the first 20 minutes of the second. They came out physical in the second half.”
Live Oak had a couple guys out with injuries and a couple guys who missed their ride to North Salinas. Forwards Julian Barta and Anthony Razouk are out with ankle injuries. Senior defender Andy Cunninham, who is also nursing in ankle injury, is about 90 percent healthy, Goble said.
“Trevor Kozacek has been playing well. He should help us out,” Goble said. “Freshman Garett Frechette went in last game wen Julian went down and had a good outing.””
Live Oak will play today against Salinas and Thursday at Palma.
“We are a little dinged up,” Goble said. “This week will be a tough week. We are a little thin so anything can happen.”
Wrestling
Live Oak placed fourth in the six team Kentfield Dual on Saturday.
“We should have taken third, but we had to settle for fourth,” said coach Ron Nichols.
Junior Mitch Resner, in the 147 class, recorded a pin of 33 seconds in the fast pin contest. Three rounds later, he beat his own record with a 29-second pin.
Heavyweight Mike Gamez went 5-0 in the meet and was named Most Outstanding wrestler in his weight class.
Nichols, whose team has one more dual meet at Hollister on Thursday, said he wanted to use Saturday’s matches for a tuneup for TCALs, which are Feb. 15 at Hollister.
“We should do well,” said Nichols about Live Oak’s chances in TCALs. “Our dual record is not a good indicator. We got a really good skills package. If we are on, I think we can surprise a lot of people.”
Basketball
The Live Oak girls basketball team lost 74-19 to Notre Dame on Friday.
Notre Dame improved its record to 18-2 and 4-0 in TCAL, while Live Oak dropped to 5-10 and 0-4. The Spirits needed just one quarter to beat the Acorns.
Amanda Lytle led the Acorns with five points. Leanne Lopez and Melissa Llanes had four points. Ruth Dominguez, Adrienne Terry and Britney Perkins had two each.
The Live Oak boys team will go against an always tough Gilroy team tonight at Gilroy. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Although Gilroy is at the bottom of the league with an 0-4 record, the game won’t be easy.
Live Oak won the first game between the two clubs 57-47 en route to the Bob Hagen tournament title. Gilroy has some scrappy players who always seem to give Live Oak fits. Live Oak lost to Gilroy last season by one point in both games.
