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STUDIO CITY – In a much-anticipated semifinal soccer match, the drama is expected to be on the field. For example, a go-ahead goal in stoppage time, maybe the brandishing of a red card, or dreaded penalty kicks.
That wasn’t quite the drama that filled Harvard-Westlake’s 4-1 win over Santiago in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 girls soccer semifinal Saturday afternoon.
Alyssa Thompson scored two goals and Daniela Quintero and Sophia Haynes scored the other two to give the Wolverines their first appearance in a CIF-SS final since 2010, and its first Division 1 final appearance since 2006.
“We got punched in the mouth early, but then after we scored and I felt like we calmed down and took control of the game, especially in the second half,” Harvard-Westlake coach Richard Simms said.
Santiago’s Madysen Legere scored in the seventh minute to take a 1-0 lead before Haynes scored an equalizer minutes later with a right-footed strike from outside the 18-yard box.
Santiago keeper Trinity Corcoran had an outstanding save just before halftime to keep the score 1-1, deflecting a sure goal away with her right hand.
“It’s disappointing not to defend our CIF title, but we’ll be amped for (CIF) State playoffs,” Corcoran said of the Sharks, who won the Division 1 crown last year.
Quintero’s go-ahead goal came in the 43rd minute before Thompson, with a penalty kick (66th minute) and stoppage time goal, put the match away. Thompson now has 38 goals in 13 matches this season.
But even Santiago coach Mike Fleming says the Wolverines are much more than Thompson and her speedy sister, Gisele.
“Anyone who thinks this Harvard-Westlake team is just Alyssa and Gisele has another thing coming,” Fleming said.
“That’s a very disciplined team, a very good team. Alyssa and Gisele add to that team, they aren’t the team,” Corcoran added.
Harvard-Westlake will travel to Villa Park or Pacifica of Garden Grove on Friday or Saturday for the Division 1 final.
Santiago fans asked to leave
In the middle of the second half, center referee Brandon Will stopped play and ordered the Santiago fans to clear the stands. He told Santiago coach Mike Fleming he heard obscenities from the visiting fans.
Will threatened to end the game – which was sitting at 3-1 – if the fans weren’t cleared in a three-minute window.
“In my 22 years I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Fleming said. “The official allowed his ego to get in the way. He said someone called him gay from our stands. For him to accuse our fans of that is ludicrous.”
WEIRD: I’ve never seen anything like this before. The head official threatened to end the match in the middle of the second half if Corona Santiago fans didn’t clear the stands.
One fan, Dana Potts, had an explanation as to why: pic.twitter.com/RdDuNFohiB
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) May 23, 2021
The Santiago parents, who trekked two hours for the match, picked up their things and cleared the stands so that the team would be able to finish the match.
“The assistant ref didn’t hear anything, none of our families heard anything, but the center ref is saying someone used the F-word and used an off-color epitaph against him,” said Dana Potts, a father for one of Santiago’s players.
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May 23, 2021 at 10:32AM
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Harvard-Westlake girls soccer tops Santiago in drama-filled Division 1 semifinal - LA Daily News
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