The shortest player on the pitch at 5-feet-2, Kevin Escurra sported the widest smile after leading Rancho Buena Vista to the first boys soccer championship in school history.
An improbable goal gave the No. 7-seeded Longhorns (8-6-1) an improbable 1-0 victory over No. 4 Francis Parker (9-7-2) in the Division III final on Saturday afternoon at Mission Bay.
RBV had been outscored 23-20 with a .500 record and was on the bus ready for Wednesday’s semifinal when coach Richard Kaiser was informed Mater Dei had to forfeit after a couple of positive COVID-19 results.
In the 48th minute in the final, Escurra accepted a from fellow senior Anthony Ceda to the right of the goal and proceeded to razzle-dazzle dribble before knocking a low shot from 20 yards out that snuck under the goalie’s reach, hit the post and entered.
“He turned something out of nothing,” said Kaiser, who guided RBV to a girls title in 2016 and now the Longhorns’ first boys banner. “He’s a shifty player and somehow makes things happen.”
About 8 minutes after his game-winner, Escurra was involved in a nasty collision near midfield and had to be carted off the field with a left leg bruise.
“It’s fine now,” said Escurra, visibly limping and lying through his grin. “I couldn’t be happier.”
RBV senior goalie Eduardo Santigao recorded consecutive playoff shutouts of No. 2 Orange Glen (1-0) and No. 3 Mater Dei (2-0) before blanking the Lancers, who had outscored opponents, 52-38.
“You guys have made history for this school,” Kaiser told his troops before being doused with water on the sideline. “I couldn’t have asked for a better group.”
Girls Soccer Division III
Sage Creek 2, La Jolla 0: After missing nine games with a broken left wrist, sophomore Seren Johnson entered as a sub midway through the first half and soon scored her first career goal to lift No. 10 Sage Creek to its first girls championship.
“This is amazing,” said Johnson, who played with a large brace on her arm. “I just got my cast off two days ago.”
In its six-year history, Sage Creek (11-5-3) was 1-4 in the playoffs before knocking off No. 7 Santana (1-0), No. 2 Mira Mesa (3-2) and No. 3 Central (6-0) this spring. The Bobcats began 2-4-1 but were 9-1-1 in their last 10 games.
Sophomore Sarah Cobb posted her third playoff shutout, and junior Meghan Swiatlowski assisted on Johnson’s goal on a turn-around blast from the 6-yard box. Sage Creek took a 1-0 lead on an own goal in the 19th minute when sophomore Kira Carney arched a corner kick that deflected off a La Jolla defender into the net.
“It’s such a blessing to have all this happen in my first year,” Bobcats coach Madison McLean said.
The Vikings (6-8-1) are coached by legendary Brian McManus, who won seven national championships in 31 years at UC San Diego. He also won two CIF boys titles at Torrey Pines in the 1990s.
Lindgren is a freelance writer.
