The San Marcos boys soccer team started off the second leg of Channel League play with its first league victory of the season, a 4-0 rout at Buena, that vaulted the Royals into a tie for third place and in thick of the playoff hunt.
San Marcos (7-9-4, 1-3-1) got two goals from Michael Gallup, one from Jake Smargon and another from Ian McFarlane as Efren Gutierrez and Kevin Davis split time in goal to combine on the clean sheet.
The offensive outburst was the more remarkable considering the Royals had scored only once in their previous four games combined.
San Marcos head coach Brian Eisen’s favorite stat was that not only did the four goals all come off of assists, but that seven different players were involved.
Jacinto Barreto set up Gallup’s first goal and Rafael Garcia’s cross to Smargon in the 20th made it 2-0. Arnol Rosales’ throw-in made it to Gallup for his second and Alvaro Garcia – playing for the first time since an injury knocked him out of the Santa Barbara game last week – sent a long ball into the box that McFarlane volleyed with velocity and precision into goal.
“It was a great goal to watch,” said Eisen.
The Royals have a rivalry-filled week coming up with a Tuesday matchup at home against Dos Pueblos and Thursday with Santa Barbara, also at home.
