DOWNEY – For a team that somehow kept extending its season game after game, Dos Pueblos’ run is finally done. The Chargers, who won time and time again this postseason when few thought they would, made it all the way to Saturday’s Division-I CIF SoCal Regional final as an unseeded darkhorse from the Southern Section’s Division II.
In the end, Paramount got the better of the Chargers, winning 2-0 at Warren High School in Los Angeles to claim the CIF Regional title. Paramount’s Jose Salgado scored twice for the Pirates, who won their first Southern Section Division-III championship last week.
Dos Pueblos' Tony Modugno, left, Eduardo Cortez, center, and Paramount keeper Antonio Flores leap for a free kick in the second half.
While the Chargers players were clearly downtrodden following the game, head coach Tovi Eliasen couldn’t help but look at the brightside.
“We beat a lot of great teams and those teams’ seasons were done early – weeks ago – and the fact that we’re still playing, that we extended our season so much, to be able to play on big stages – it’s something the guys will never forget,” Eliasen said. “They realize how big this is to take DP all the way this far, an unprecedented accomplishment.”
The Chargers close out this year’s campaign with a 16-7-8 record after having made two CIF title games.
“We gave it our all,” said Chargers midfielder Danny Rowell. “We played the way we played all year.”
The two teams exchanged chances in the first half before Salgado put one away just when it looked as though halftime would be reached with a scoreless draw.
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Salgado unleashed a shot from 25-yards straight out, beating Chargers keeper Chris Castillo to the upper reaches of the goal. Salgado’s goal handed Paramount a 1-0 lead in the 39th minute even though DP’s side thought the play should have been whistled dead by a hand ball.
“It was a blatant handball. The guy slapped it down with two hands,” Rowell said. “It was pretty cheap.”
Eliasen, who was reluctant to criticize the officiating, said the linesman with the best view admitted to him at halftime that it was a missed call but that the Chargers didn’t do enough in the second half to make it an issue.
“We were hoping for that patented second-half comeback that we’ve had, gosh, countless times this year and it didn’t quite happen today,” Eliasen said. “Paramount was the better team overall today.”
The second half had barely begun when Salgado struck again, as he was able to quickly control a ball in the box and deliver it inside the far post in the 35th minute.
The junior defender ran towards the large Paramount cheering section, turning to point with both thumbs at the Paramount name on the back of his jersey. The Pirates’ fans outnumbered Dos Pueblos’ considerably, drawing enough people to conduct a legitimate “wave” during the game’s final minutes.
DP’s proven it’s not the team to shy away from a two-goal deficit, however, having pulled off a near-miraculous two-goal rally in the final eight minutes of the Regionals’ semifinal against San Fernando.
DP looked as though it got one back halfway through the second half when Rodrigo Perez scored off a rebound from an Eduardo Cortez free kick. The referee ruled that Cortez’s shot hit the American football uprights, which hung directly above the soccer goal’s crossbar, calling the ball out of bounds. Video replay shows the ball strike the underside of the soccer goal’s crossbar instead.
“It’s all about that first goal. We get one and all of a sudden the momentum completely changes,” Eliasen said. “But if that one doesn’t come, it seems like it’s very far away.”
Dos Pueblos will lose eight seniors next year, seven of which filled starting roles. Gone will be leading goal-scorers Perez and Cortez, plus hard-nosed defenders Branden Tangel, Casey Donahue, Tony Modugno and German Macedo. But the returners like to think Chargers soccer is here to stay awhile.
“I’ve been on varsity since a freshman. This has by far been the best year,” Rowell said. “All the guys have come together. They’re all my brothers and I look forward to another good season next year.”
The goal keeper for Paramount was already a pro (Dorados de Sinaloa) when he played this last season. Paramount should forfit all games.
The goal keeper for Paramount was already a pro (Dorados de Sinaloa) when he played this last season. Paramount should forfit all games.
Stop Hating Paramount because we are the best!!!!!