Daily Pilot Cup: Rea holds off Kaiser

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - The Daily Pilot Cup fifth- and sixth-grade boys

championship soccer game was a story of two halves and an intense battle

between Rea and Kaiser Sunday at The Farm Complex.

Fortunately for Rea’s No. 1 squad, its first-half performance, that

included four goals, was enough to win this year’s title, 4-3, as the

Sharks held off the Kaiser No. 1 team in the second half.

Rea, which had beaten Wilson 3-1, in the semifinals, took control of

the game after 10 minutes of scoreless, defensive action.

Kaiser earned three cornerkicks and on the latter the Sharks

retaliated with an aggressive counterattack. Denny Perdomo squirted a

pass ahead of Isai Viveros, who finished it for the 1-0 lead.

Less than five minutes later, Eric Duarte controlled a loose ball and

netted another goal, which brought loud yells from Rea’s sideline, where

principal Ken Killian, teachers and students cheered.

The Sharks continued their attack as Edward Pinon scored Rea’s third

goal after he controlled a rebound from Robert Abarca’s direct free kick,

which bounced off the left crossbar.

Then, with a minute remaining before halftime, Viveros blasted a

sensational goal from the left corner, way out near the sideline. The

ball drifted and landed into the net.

“This game is far from over,” Rea Coach Kurt Suhr told his players at

halftime. “Let’s play like it’s 0-0.”

But, his words seemed to be of no use. The Kaiser Knights made their

appropriate adjustments and came out with thunder in the second half.

That’s when the Trujillo brothers, William and Ruben, began to really

display their talents. Jeremy Anish assisted William Trujillo’s first

goal. Then, with 18 minutes remaining, William Trujillo copied Viveros’s

left-corner goal, netting an identical shot from the exact area of the

field.

Coach Tony Anish’s Knights drew even closer when Ruben Trujillo stole

the ball and sped out on a breakaway. He made his goal look easy and

brought much nervousness to the Rea sideline.

The Sharks, however, held off Kaiser as Edward Pinon replaced goalie

Chris Pizzaro, who injured his wrist. Pinon came up with three saves and

he celebrated with his teammates as they poured Gatorade on their

coaches, Suhr and Todd Deutsch, who also teach at the school.

It seemed as if Rea was a team of destiny. The Sharks won in sudden

death penalty kicks over Lincoln in the quarterfinal Saturday, as Rene

Romero scored the game-winner.

When Rea defeated Wilson in the semifinals, Duarte, who is better

known as “Pollo,” which means chicken, scored the game’s first goal.

Pinon and Mendez also netted a goal each.

Kaiser reached the title game with a 3-1 victory over Harbor Day.

William Trujillo scored twice and Luis Villa had one goal.

BOYS FIFTH- AND SIXTH-GRADE CHAMPIONS

REA #1

Robert Abarca

Jessie Benitez

Eduardo Castillo

Eric Duarte

Leonel Garcia

Danny Gonzalez

Robert Mendez

Denny Perdomo

Edward Pinon

Chris Pizarro

Jose Quinones

Adrian Rendon

Edgar Rodriguez

Rene Romero

Isai Viveros

Hugo Zaragosa

Coaches: Todd Deutsh and Kurt Suhr