The Sunnyvale Sun

Sports

King's comes through to claim CCS Division III

By Mike Barnhart

Going into the Central Coast Section Division III boys soccer championship game, The King's Academy and Sacred Heart Prep figured to be evenly matched.

Although TKA had captured the Private Schools Athletic League title with a 15-1 record, defending league and CCS champion Sacred Heart (14-2) was responsible for the Knights' only league loss. The two teams took advantage of their home fields, the Knights romping 4-0 back on Sept. 5 and Sacred Heart winning 1-0 a month later.

Unlike last season when Sacred Heart needed double overtime to beat King's 1-0, this CCS Division III finale was far from an even match.

King's, displaying a chemistry and attitude that characterized their side all season, rode an early goal and dominant midfield play to a 2-0 victory at the sun-drenched, hillside campus of Valley Christian in Dublin on Nov. 3.

For the Knights, who finished 19-2 under first-year coach Stephen Ting, it was their third CCS fall soccer championship. They previously won in 2003 and 1994.

Sacred Heart (17-5), the CCS Division III king in five of the past seven seasons and a seven-time winner since the event began in1988, was a distant second this year.

TKA scored in the 13th minute of the game, when senior midfielder Michael Gondi's low shot got through a crowd in front of the Gators' goal and found the back of the net.

Senior forward Malcolm Alugas, who had assisted on the first goal of the Knights' 2-1, semi-final win over Latino College Prep, set up Gondi's opportunity by keeping alive a ball that appeared to be going out of bounds. It was Alugas' team-best 11th assist of the season.

Alugas, whose 13 goals this fall made him the team co-leader with junior Josh Tatsuno, threatened the goal three times early in the second half, including a near miss that hit the side of the net.

Finally, about midway through the second half, TKA scored again. Senior Billy Burnside deflected senior Tyler Aagard's indirect free kick in midair past the SHP goalie for his 10th goal of the year.

Junior Chris Meyer, who almost scored on a corner kick just four minutes into the game, and seniors Ruben Bailon and Greg Metz were defensive standouts in both CCS play-off games.

In the semifinals, TKA avenged a non-league loss with two first-half goals against Latino College Prep of San Jose.

Tatsuno took a crossing pass from Alugas near goal and beat the Latino Prep goalkeeper for a 1-0 lead.

After the Eagles tied the match, Burnside scored the decisive goal in the 23rd minute. He drilled a free kick around the Eagles' four-man wall into the top right corner of the net.

Other seniors that contributed to the Knights' banner year were Jeremiah Auer, Daniel Chui, Erik Haugen, Andrew Matsumoto and Jeffrey Young. Among the juniors were the team's two goalies, Michael Teruel and Scott Stuart, Robert Jewett, Peter Vinnicombe, John Westwood and Isaac Williams. Other team members were sophomore Bobby Favela and freshman Teddy Kockelman.