Santa Barbara High’s boys soccer team came within inches of tying Santa Margarita in the final five minutes of regulation in a CIF Division 1 second-round match on Tuesday.
Pepe Barron found Brandon Sanchez behind the defense, sending him 1-on-1 with the goalkeeper. But Sanchez’s shot went inches wide of the post, and Santa Margarita escaped with a 2-1 victory over the Dons.
The loss ended a terrific season for Santa Barbara. It went 19-6-1 and won the Channel League with a team comprised primarily of underclassmen.
“The unfortunate part is we have to say goodbye to some great seniors, but on the whole it’s been an absolutely fantastic year,” coach Todd Heil said. “To have as many underclassmen as we have and to win 19 games and be Channel League champions, it’s been great. It’s just unfortunate at some point our season will have to come to an end. And tonight was our end.”
The Dons fell behind in the 25th minute when they were unable to clear a ball out of their box and Santa Margarita hacked away at it until it eventually scored.
Down 1-0 at halftime, Santa Barbara played with great intensity in the second half and scored an equalizing goal in the 56th minute. Pepe Barron scored, giving him 20 goals for the season.
“The second half was much better,” Heil said. “I don’t think we matched their intensity in the first half. In the second half, we set the tone a little bit. We did a much better job of asserting ourselves.”
Santa Margarita scored the game-winner on a brilliant strike. The ball was crossed in and the player ripped a side-volley into the inside netting.
“It was the shot of a lifetime,” said Heil.
