Saratoga News

Panthers play for CCS soccer title

By Dick Sparrer

Prospect did it the hard way.

But the Panthers did it nonetheless--they earned a place in the Central Coast Section Division I boys' soccer championship game being played this week.

The berth didn't come easy for the Panthers. They didn't win the title in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, but still performed well enough in the rugged division to earn a CCS berth.

They opened the CCS playoffs with a tight 2-1 win over Live Oak, then won in the semi-finals with an even tighter win over King City in a game decided on penalty kicks.

But through it all, the Panthers have perservered. And this week, they'll play for the coveted CCS championship.

Prospect was to take its 13-7-6 season record up against Leland (14-5-4) on March 3, 7:30 p.m., at San Jose PAL Stadium.

The Panthers opened the playoffs with the tight 2-1 win over the Acorns. Greg Ortiz knocked in a penalty kick in the second half to lift Prospect to the victory.

Tony Chang had given the Panthers a 1-0 lead at intermission when he scored off assists from Francisco Martinez and Josh Denney.

Passes from Josh Anderson, Derek Avery and Chang set up Denney for a goal in the first half on Saturday, but King City tied it in the second half and that's how it remained through the end of regulation and four overtime periods.

Ortiz, Chang and Martinez each knocked in penalty kicks in the tiebreaker, and goalie Brandon Delgado came through with a clutch save to give the Panthers the win and send them to the CCS title game.

In girls' action last week, Prospect dropped a 5-0 decision to Los Gatos to drop out of CCS competition.

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