Cate never gave Paraclete a chance.
The top-seeded Rams came out flying and never let up in rolling to a 5-1 victory that puts them in the CIF Division 7 boys soccer final for the second straight year.
Cate (18-1-1), the defending champion, will play third-seeded University Prep of Victorville in the championship match on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. University Prep defeated Mary Star of the Sea, 3-0, in the other semifinal.
Five different players scored for the Rams.
“It was a great game from that standpoint,” Cate coach Dave Mochel said. “We have been working on sharing the ball with quick-passing possesion and the result is that many people can find themselves in position to score.”
Ema Boateng got it started with goal in the fifth minute. Avery Schwartz followed seven minutes later, heading in a cross from Tyler Douglas, as the Rams put host Paraclete in an early hole in the semifinal match at the Lancaster National Soccer Center.
Gabe Chavez, Paraclete’s 6-3 senior forward, got the Spirits back in the match by scoring his 18th goal of the season on a 30-yard wind-aided shot to make it 2-1 in the 26th minute.
“He scored on the only real shot that they had all day,” Mochel said. “They were so busy trying to slow down our midfield and forwards that there wasn’t much opportunity for them to organize up top.”
But it remained a one-goal game at halftime.
“We continued to create opportunities by passing the ball through the midfield and across the back. Unfortunately the attempts were all just off the mark,” Mochel said of the remainder of the first half.
Cate kept the pedal to the metal in the second half and ran over the Spirits.
The Rams went up 3-1 in the 55th minute when Boateng fed Eric Lowe for the goal.Two minutes later, Schwartz passed to freshman Jeffrey Acheampong who hit a swerving ball into the upper left corner of the net for a commanding 4-1 lead.
Centerback Joshua Yaro capped the convincing win with one of his patented long runs for a goal in the 78th minute.
Mochel was pleased how his team handled Paraclete’s physical style.
“It was a physical game throughout, but the boys maintained their composure and crisp style of play,” said Mochel.
“The boys are excited and relieved to be back in the finals,” he added. “It is fun to be going back with some idea of what to expect.”
Cate bought and paid for their C.I.F. soccer championships. Really… three players from another country? Come on. If that’s not recruiting then I don’t know what is. Heck… if I could just recruit in my city we could win a C.I.F. title..but outside the country too. Totally unfair competition for our small public high schools. If they are allowed to recruit move them up to Division I with the Mater Dei and the other private schools that recruit.