Santa Barbara midfielder Sanford Spivey heads the ball. The energetic Spivey controlled the center of the field and scored a goal in the Dons' 3-0 victory.
The midfielders took center stage for the Santa Barbara boys soccer team Thursday night.
Alberto Hernandez, Sanford Spivey and Tyler Schleich all scored goals to lead an energized Dons team to a 3-0 blitzing of Ventura at Peabody Stadium, vaulting them into first place in the Channel League.
Santa Barbara, which completed league play at 6-2 (18 points), now must wait until Tuesday to see if it wins the title. The Dons need a Ventura (5-1-1, 16 points) loss or tie against Buena to repeat as league champion.
Santa Barbara (16-5-3) put in a performance worthy of a championship team in its last regular season game.
“I think we played a complete game,” Santa Barbara coach Todd Heil said. “This is one of our best games all season long. If this is the game that takes into the playoffs, I’m quite proud.”
Alfredo Ibarra of Santa Barbara fights for control of the ball against Ventura.
Spivey and Schleich were dominating in the center of the field, winning the majority of the balls and pushing the Dons attack.
“I think all three of them, ‘Tooch’ (Hernandez), who got the game-winning goal on an incredible shot, Spivey and Tyler Schleich, all had a great game in the midfield. They really dominated the midfield tonight. And it’s aways nice to get rewarded with goals.”
Hernandez scored the game-winner off an astute play by forward Alfredo Ibarra.
Spivey started the sequence in the 14th minute by intercepting a Ventura pass and firing a low shot that bounced off goalkeeper Scott Stanley. Ibarra collected the rebound on the right side of the net and centered the ball for Hernandez, who drilled it into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
The score came five minutes after Ventura’s Ryland Gray headed the ball off the post after Dawson Payne’s flick of a long throw-in from 6-3 Shane Ryan.
Santa Barbara kept the pressure on the Cougars and almost scored again just before halftime. Matt Medina raced down the right flank and hit a beautiful cross that was met by teammate T.J. Fairchild. Unfortunately for Fairchild, his volley was hit wide right.
Ventura (17-5-2) created a dangerous chance in the 49th minute off another long throw-in. Joe Hernandez shot an overhead volley on goal but it was headed off the line by a Santa Barbara defender.
The Dons delivered the crushing blow to the Cougars in the 60th minute when Schleich soared above the crowd on Marco Sanchez’s corner kick and hammered his header into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.
“I was trying to get one to boost our team’s energy for playoffs,” said Schleich, who timed his run perfectly.
“That was most energy our team has put together for 80 minutes,” he added. “We knew we were going to put everything into it. It was our last home game in Channel League, and I felt like all the seniors wanted to go out on a high.”
Spivey made his last Channel League game at Peabody Stadium a memorable one. He soared to win head balls in the midfield, intercepted passes and generally made himself a nuisance every time Ventura had the ball.
“It definitely was big energy tonight,” said the senior who has committed to Boston University. “We came in after Tuesday really pissed off toward the DP performance that we had, and we came out firing and we got those three goals.”
Spivey’s hard work was rewarded with a goal late in the second half. He turned on a Ventura defender and scored from 20 yards.
Goalkeeper Miguel Solis preserved the shutout with diving save on a shot by Gray.
Santa Barbara, the defending CIF Division 2 champions, gets a two-week break before returning to the field for the Division 1 playoffs.
