The winning coach was disappointed and the losing coach was pretty satisfied.
That’s rare, but it was the case on Friday at Bishop Diego as the Carpinteria boys soccer team picked up a 2-0 decision over the host Cardinals.
There was no celebration after either goal — no one stood up off the Warrior bench to clap, and there was nothing beyond a smile and pat on the back as the players ran back to the midline.
“For 80 minutes we didn’t play well, and when you don’t play well that’s what happens,” said coach Daniel Torres, whose team defeated Dos Pueblos 3-1 earlier in the week. “Guys don’t get excited and guys aren’t into it. The intensity and the focus need to be better.”
Cardinals coach Jesus Landeros, meanwhile, had nearly the exact opposite to say when it came to his squad’s effort.
“The commitment was there the entire game, so that was outstanding,” he said. “We’re generally the underdog as far as the soccer experience, and one of these days soon we’re gonna catch a break based on the work-rate the guys are putting forth.”
Carpinteria's Tony Alvarez goes flying over the slide tackle of Bishop's Rodney Osborne.
The Cardinals start three freshmen — Justin Brosnan, Jonathan Ford and Luis Ortiz — all of whom carry hefty responsibilities in their first seasons out of the AYSO ranks.
Bishop’s Alex Robitaille had a shot miss just wide in the opening minutes of the match, and Carpinteria soon got on the board on a shot from junior Manuel Salinas at about the 15-minute mark. The Warriors, who played three forwards up the whole game, controlled the possession battle for the rest of the match. Besides the goals, however, they never seemed to get any looks that had Cardinals goalie Corey Yokubaitis overly concerned.
Alfredo Maya came in late in the match and scored his first goal of the season, blasting a 25-yard shot off the crossbar from straight out. Aside from a little fist pump from Maya, the Warriors remained straight-faced.
“The reality is that they’re coming in here and not expecting us to be in the game with them. They’re a good side, and they’re a much more experienced side,” said Landeros. “But you can never underestimate the commitment and effort that my guys are gonna put forth, and that showed today.”
Said Torres: “You’ve gotta give Bishop credt too. They defended well. They put eight guys in the back and played for the tie, and you can’t blame them.”
Landeros also highlighted the play of Paul Ortega. The Cardinals (3-3-2, 0-2 TVL) host Villanova at 11 a.m. on Saturday while the Warriors (8-1-2, 1-0 TVL) play at Fillmore on Wednesday.
