The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
The last Moore League boys’ soccer game of the calendar year was the most unpredictable of this season.
Long Beach Poly hosted Wilson on Wednesday night during a heavy rainstorm. The Jackrabbits took a 2-0 lead only to see the Bruins equalize before halftime.
“We went into halftime gutted, giving up those two late goals in the first half,” Poly coach Eric Leon said. “We could’ve gone either way. But when we came out we put the foot to the gas pedal.”
The wet conditions made every touch of the ball imperative, and the most important touches came in the 60th minute when Poly’s Anthony Martinez Urrutia slid into a beautiful cross from Joshua Martinez. That turned out to be the game-winning goal after Poly goalkeeper Rey Alvarado made a few key saves to secure the 3-2 victory.
“It’s a massive win for us,” Martinez Urruita said. “This is one of the games you look for to win the league.”
“After only getting one point last week, we had to get six points this week, we were obligated,” Leon added. “This is a big win for us. If we draw this game it woulda put us seven points behind (first place).”
The Jackrabbits looked a little more comfortable in the adverse conditions and that paid off in the ninth minute when Roberto Bermudez chipped a ball over the backline for Steve Martinez to finish on the half volley.
“Their kids were mudders,” Wilson coach CJ Brewer said. “They were able to deal with the weather and I feel like we were still trying to catch up to it.”
Another quick transition found Martinez Urrutia open in the 25th minute to drive home his first goal.
“What worked in the first half was keeping the ball on their side of the field,” Martinez Urrutia said. “Possession the ball and not playing it in the back. It helped us playing the long ball a little bit because of the weather. It was a slippery field so we had to be smart about it.”
Wilson got back into the game through corner kicks in the 30th and 38th minute. The first off the foot of Christian Rangel went in the mixer and a rebound fell to Lucca Pires for the goal. The second was another great ball in from Rangel and Randolf Corona headed it home to equalize.
“Both coaches were making adjustments throughout the game to deal with all of the outside things, but also to deal with each other,” Brewer said. “We were both switching formations and personnel. It seemed like there were four different phases to the game. We were playing chess with each other.”
Poly got going in the second half by feeding Martinez Urrutia and Noah Gonzalez up top. At the hour mark, Joshua Martinez picked the ball off the foot of a Wilson defender and broke down the left wing. He dribbled to the box, drawing out the center back and goalkeeper, before bouncing a cross to the heart of the box for Martinez Urrutia to slide into and score.
“You can’t over think it and just attack the ball,” Martinez Urrutia said of the finish.
“What a special kid,” Leon said of Martinez Urrutia. “Whether he scores or doesn’t, his energy and passion is amazing.”
In the final 10 minutes Wilson had a pair of chances to equalize again. Joey Ragusa’s free kick from about 25 yards out was stopped at his post by a diving Alvarado. Luke Garza also had a point-blank shot stopped by Alvarado, and the rebound shot hit the same post. The Bruins also weren’t able to earn a second-half corner kick.
“Real credit to them, they worked the entire game,” Brewer said of Poly. “Their coaches were able to take all the curveballs we threw at him. The league is closer than we thought it was.”
“I told the boys, let the Moore League do what the Moore League does,” Leon said. “Someone is going to get upset. Someone is going to get confident. All we have to do is control our own destiny.”
Wilson (3-1-0) and Millikan (3-0-0) are tied for first in the league after two weeks of play. Poly (2-1-1) is behind them in third and Cabrillo (2-1-0) is fourth.
The league schedule resumes Jan. 8 when Wilson hosts Millikan, Lakewood visits Cabrillo and Jordan takes on Compton.
