Santa Barbara’s Jumoke Hutton raises his arm in celebration after the junior’s first goal of the season. Pepe Barron (10) and Alec Larson (5) join Hutton. (James Crosby Photos)
Santa Barbara High’s boys soccer team responded to its first 2-1 deficit of the season on Tuesday by coming back to beat Dos Pueblos 3-2 in Peabody Stadium.
Jonathan Mora drove home a cross from Matt Medina in the 70th minute, netting the Dons’ second goal in a minute after the Chargers took a 2-1 lead with two second-half goals.
Dons Defenseman Jelan Hutton races Dos Pueblos’ Omar Montalvo to a ball and clears it out of bounds to slow the Chargers strike in the second half.
“Great credit to Santa Barbara, they jumped out early and then they could have easily folded when we came back strong and took the lead, but that’s a testament to the coaching and the leadership that they have on the field,” said Chargers head coach Matt York.
The Dons, ranked No. 5 in Division 1, improved to 4-0 in league play.?Dos Pueblos, unranked, is 0-3-1.
“We found some passion. I think it was lacking in the first half,” explained Dons head coach Todd Heil, whose team is 17-3-1 overall.?”We seemed very methodical and robotic and there wasn’t much to us in the first half.”
The Dons were still able to gain a 1-0 advantage in the first half on a goal from defender Peter Gamboa. It was Gamboa’s third goal in four Channel League games this season.
Medina took one of 14 corner kicks awarded to Santa Barbara, getting the first of his two assists by connecting with Gamboa.
In the second half, Omar Montalvo and Forbes Bainou scored for Dos Pueblos.
Bainou gave Dos Pueblos life with a rocket of a shot from 25 yards out. The goal was an uplifting sight for the Chargers, who rode the momentum to score again six minutes later when Montalvo settled a long free kick from Tim Heiduk and punched in a goal just outside the six-yard box.
“I feel like we kind of caught them asleep on those two that we got and then they really woke up and rallied,” said Chargers goalkeeper Nick Van Hoorn.
The Dons found themselves losing 2-1 for the first time this season. It was only the fourth time in 21 games that the Dons have allowed two goals.
“DP’s a great team. We’re not used to being behind,” said Dons defender Jelan Hutton.
“They’re definitely a tough squad but I feel like we could have gotten away with something there,” Van Hoorn said.
Jumoke Hutton scored his first goal of the season in the 69th minute to tie the game at 2-2. Mora’s goal came barely a minute later.
“I just felt like we came to life after they scored their second goal, like something sparked us up top,” Heil said.
Santa Barbara travels to Ventura on Thursday for their second meeting while Dos Pueblos hosts Buena.
