On Tuesday, March 3, the Archie Williams boys varsity soccer team (14-4-5) took on Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton (16-3-5) in the California Interscholastic Federation(CIF) quarter-finals. After a contested first half, the Falcons surged ahead in the second, securing the win and keeping their season alive.
The game started off slow, as both teams struggled to gain control. As the match progressed, Sacred Heart began to dominate the Falcons, scoring the first goal of the game. This left the score 0-1 with plenty of time to go, giving the Falcons the momentum they needed.
“During the first minutes of the game, as a team, we weren’t fully awake, and after the opposing team scored the first goal, it was definitely a wake-up call for us. I think in the second half, we definitely started to gain momentum again and started playing at our level of soccer,” junior Manny Cardenas said.
The Falcons pushed the pace, and senior Jordan Oliver Roa scored, tying the game 1-1. Both teams kept up the intensity as they went back and forth, but neither could score before the first half ended.
Kicking off the second half, the Falcons attacked Sacred Heart’s goal, drawing multiple fouls and free kicks. The Gators’ goalkeeper denied several attempts yet shortly after, junior Sean Chamberlin headed a corner kick from senior captain Jake Morrison.
As the half advanced, the score stayed 2-1, leaving the Falcons with a tight lead. With a series of impressive saves, sophomore goalie Jack Kasin kept the back of the Falcons’ net untouched. Nearing the end of the second quarter, energy was high, and the Falcons continued to fight.
“At this point of the season, winning is nice, but [so is] just spending time with these guys. It has been a four-month season and just spending time with them, especially the seniors who [are] on their last run, I think that’s the motivation for me. Just to see them, you know, give validation for the hard work they put in,” said Falcons head coach Rene Ayala.
In the final minutes of the game, senior captain Jackson Richardson struck a shot off the goalpost and into the net. This left the score at 3-1, securing the Falcons’ win.
The Bleach Boys will advance to the CIF semifinals CIF and play the fifth-seeded Tamalpais Hawks Thursday, March 6. Senior captain Willy Finley is confident going forward and optimistic about playing a familiar team.
“I’m excited for Thursday, which is our semifinal game. We get a chance to play another MCAL team, which is always fun,” Willy said. “I’m pretty confident since we’ve had success against Tam earlier in the season, and we have some momentum going for us as well, but it’s going to take a lot to beat them again.”
