Castillo stops three in shootout, DP to play Dons

Once, twice, three times a hero.

Dos Pueblos had its first shot blocked in Tuesday’s penalty-kick shootout with Bell Gardens at Scott O’Leary Stadium, but Chargers goalie Chris Castillo stopped three of the next four shots that came his way as DP won 3-2.

He didn’t know it until afterwards, but Castillo’s efforts in the CIF Division II Semifinal matchup are the reason why his team will square off against top-ranked Santa Barbara in an all-local title game at Harder Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m.

“It was very scary. I just prayed. I prayed before each shot and also before the game,” he said. “I’ve saved a lot of pks before. I usually get one or two, but this time I got three and it means we’re going to the finals against Santa Barbara.”

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The shootout began when Lancers forward Jonathan Contreras sent an off-speed shot to the upper right side to put the visitors up 1-0. Dos Pueblos’ Danny Rowell was then denied by Lancers goalie Leovardo Martinez, who celebrated demonstratively towards the vocal Bell Gardens crowd.

Chris Castillo makes one of his three saves in the shootout.

Castillo had very little reaction after stopping the ensuing low shot from Danny de Luna. Eduardo Cortez then stepped in for DP and sent a low shot into the net, pulling up his jersey afterwards to reveal a message that said “Happy Birthday Dama” on a white t-shirt.

Castillo dove to his left and kept the next shot from Adrian Peña from going in as the big crowd of DP students went bonkers. Kenny Lara then buried his shot to put the Chargers up 2-1, unveiling another t-shirt just like Cortez’s.

The Lancers (18-3-5) finally got back on track when captain Luis Ramirez converted, but Brandon Tangel put the Chargers back up 3-2.

The Chargers wouldn’t need to shoot again, as Castillo stretched to block a blast from Oscar Carrillo. Both players fell to the ground, one in agony and the other in joy.

“I give them a little room and see their eyes before the shot,” said Castillo of his strategy. “I had to stretch out, and I was just hoping to get it.”

He proceeded to end up at the bottom of a dog-pile only to get up and hug his mother. Then the DP students, players and coaches gathered in a giant bouncing horde on the field. Coach Tovi Eliasen looked like the most excited of the whole bunch.

“I just couldn’t imagine the game ending in a loss,” said the first-year head coach.

DP out-shot the Lancers 6-5 in a fairly even and quiet first half, but DP came out of the intermission a different team.

“We came out in the first 10 minutes of the second half and really tried to dictate the play of the game,” said Eliasen. “I really thought we were gonna get a goal in the second half and end it.”

Despite an 8-3 shot advantage in the period and a 4-0 edge in corner kicks, DP couldn’t find the game-winner. Lara sent in a dangerous free kick in the 53rd minute that couldn’t get past Martinez. Rodrigo Perez sent one of his patented flip throw-ins dangerously into the box a few moments later and Lara collided with Martinez on it, but the ball was jammed up and stopped.

Perez fell hard on his tailbone midway through the half and had to be helped off the field in immense pain.

“I’m really hoping he’s going to play (on Friday), because we’re gonna need him,” said Eliasen.

Tangel had three huge clearances in the back during the second half and overtime to halt dangerous runs by the Lancers. Eliasen also credited the back line of Casey Donahue, Kyle Schmechel and German Macedo for keeping the Lancers’ shots limited.

Things heated up with a couple of yellow cards towards the end of regulation, and the 10-minute overtimes produced some nail-biting moments but still no goals.

Before the shootout began, one of Castillo’s friends called to him from the stands and told him just to block one shot and everything would be fine.

Three turned out to be better.

As for Friday, the Chargers (15-5-7) are the only team not to lose to the Dons, tying them in Channel League play. Eliasen congratulated them on what’s been a fantastic season before expressing confidence in his own team’s readiness.

“We’re going to make it very, very difficult for them. That tie gives us a lot of confidence going into that game,” he said.

The “Friday Night Lights” await.