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JSerra boys soccer defeats Loyola to claim CIF-SS Open title for second time in three years

March 1, 2025

ORANGE – A senior scored his 20th goal of the season. A freshman scored the second goal of his high school life.

Those two second-half goals stood up for JSerra in a 2-0 win over Loyola in the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys soccer championship game Friday at El Modena High.

JSerra players celebrate with their championship trophy following their 2-0 victory over Loyola in the CIF-SS Open Division championship game on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

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Senior Gavin Allegaert scored the first goal, his team-leading 20th. Freshman Finn Wilkins scored the second goal, his second of the season.

It is JSerra’s second CIF-SS boys soccer championship over the past three years. The Lions were champions in 2023. They also won the CIF-SS championship in 2010, the school’s first CIF-SS title in any sport.

JSerra improved to 17-0-1 and it was Loyola’s first loss of the season. The Cubs went into Friday’s final 20-0-4.

The season continues for both teams in the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs that begin Tuesday. The brackets will be released Sunday.

Allegaert said the Lions just might add a regional title to their CIF Southern Section and Trinity League championships.

“We’re a hungry team,” Allegaert said. “We’ll do whatever it takes to win.”

JSerra coach Erik Kirsch said his team did not play a perfect game, but maybe perfect games don’t happen in a game with so much at stake.

“It never goes the way you picture how you want to play,” Kirsch said. “But the guys got it done. When you’re trying to win a title sometimes it’s not pretty.

“That was a typical final. It’s scrappy, it’s hard to find rhythm, because you’ve got two titans, two defensive teams fighting it out.”

On his goal Allegaert battled two Loyola players for possession of the high-bouncing ball. He won it and a quick dribble later Allegaert’s blast rocketed to the right of Loyola goalkeeper Christopher Stillwell and into the net with 20 minutes left in the second half.

“It was a miscommunication between their center-back and their goalkeeper,” Allegaert said. “I kind of poked it out in the middle of them, the ball was bouncing and I just put it in the top corner.”

Allegaert, who signed with UC San Diego, came close to a second goal seven minutes later. Jake Tatch made a perfect crossing pass, Allegaert made a diving effort to try to header it in but the ball sailed left of the goal.

Wilkins made it 2-0 by scoring on a header from in close with 10:38 remaining in the game. The goal came shortly after he entered the game as a substitute.

“I had just come on,” said Wilkins, who is 14 years old. “The ball was kind of already in play. I jogged to the other side of the field and the ball came to me and I just tried to get my head on it.”

Allegaert had a couple of other chances, including a breakaway with four minutes to go. He made a nifty move around a Loyola player who then caught up with him before Allegaert fired a shot that Stillwell thwarted with a diving stop.

Loyola’s Will Hoshek, one of Friday’s better offensive players, had an excellent scoring chance with 23 minutes left in the second half. He slid behind the Lions back line, took a shot at the lower left corner but JSerra goaltender Liam Johnston hit the turf to send the ball the opposite direction.

After an evenly played first half JSerra was in control throughout the second half. The ball spent most of the second half on the Lions’ offensive side of the field.

The first half ended 0-0, although both teams had a handful of scoring chances. JSerra’s Angels Reyes took a fine pass from Brody Martinez, blasted a left-footed kick but the ball went directly into the chest of Stillwell who held on.

Johnston made more sharp stops in the first half. Hoshek got behind the Lions defense, Johnston came out quickly to cut down the angle and Hoshek’s kick rolled just wide of the left goalpost.

Loyola’s Josh Gallagher had a quality chance midway through the first half, but his kick bounced wide left. A few minutes later a header attempt by Allegaert popped over the top of the crossbar.

JSerra boys soccer defeats Loyola to claim CIF-SS Open title for second time in three years Orange County Register

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JSerra boys soccer defeats Loyola to claim CIF-SS Open title for second time in three years

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