Remember the Titan: Spartans soccer takes title with 3-2 victory
By Michael Ashford
Monday, September 10, 2007
For the first time since 1995, the Emporia High boys soccer team walked away from the Titan Classic in Wichita as the tournament champions with a 3-2 victory Saturday over Garden City in the title match.
The back-and-forth game was decided late by a direct kick from Adrian Trujillo that found the back of the net with 4:12 left to play, breaking a 2-all tie to give Emporia the championship.
“This was a tough game from beginning to end,” coach Steve Pearson said. “The final result was in doubt until the last minute. The game could have gone either way.”
That Emporia (4-0) came away with the title was, perhaps, made even more impressive by the fact that injuries took their toll on the Spartans all week during the tournament.
Forward Alex Guevara did not play because of an injury suffered in Wednesday’s victory against Wichita North. The Spartans’ leading scorer, Carlos Antonio, as well as Trujillo and wing Luis Ibarra, all left the game with injuries. Trujillo was the only one able to return.
“We had to dig deeper into our reserves to cover the critical areas for a lot of the game,” Pearson said.
But, the Spartans showed enough grit to overcome the injuries and “a formidable opponent,” Pearson said.
Garden City got the scoring started 15 minutes into the game when Jesus Gastlum zigzagged through three defenders and fired a shot into the goal to put the Buffaloes up, 1-0.
Nine minutes later, the Spartans tied the game thanks to Antonio being in the right place at the right time. Defender Juan Carlos Rangel got a shot off at the net, but the ball bounced off Garden City goalkeeper Edgar Reyes’ hands and away from the goal. Antonio was in position to take another shot, and his attempt found the net to make it 1-1.
EHS took its first lead with less than a minute to play in the first half when Brian Dorsey scored to make it 2-1 going into halftime.
Emporia’s lead would last all of 11 minutes into the second half, as the Buffaloes’ Oracio Ortiz was left unmarked on a corner kick and was able to put in the tying goal to make it 2-all.
But Emporia recovered from the mistake late in the game when Trujillo scored the game-winning goal.
“I told the team before the game that both teams were well-matched and that the team that made the least mistakes would end up winning,” Pearson said. “Capitalizing on those mistakes would be the key, so I have us practice on direct, indirect and corner kicks all day before the game.”
The Spartans now return home hoping to get rested and healthy before they take on Hayden (3-1) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at TRYSA, the first home game of the season for EHS.
Emporia 3, Garden City 2
Saturday in Wichita
Emporia 2 1 — 3
Garden City 1 1 — 2
First Half
GC — Jesus Gastlum (unassisted)
Emp — Carlos Antonio (unassisted)
Emp — Brian Dorsey (assist from Brian Tabares)
Second Half
GC — Oracio Ortiz (off corner kick)
Emp — Adrian Trujillo (direct kick)
Shots on goal — Emporia 12, GC 6. Saves — Emporia 4, GC 9. Corner kicks — Emporia 6, GC 4. Direct kicks — Emporia 15, GC 8. Indirect kicks — Emporia 0, GC 1. Fouls — Emporia 8, GC 15. Yellow cards — GC: Juan Ortiz.
Records — Emporia (4-0).