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    JSerra boys soccer wins Division 1 title with two goals seconds apart against Sunny Hills
    • February 26, 2023

    LONG BEACH — JSerra, the No.1-ranked team in the state and the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, played up to expectations in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship game Saturday at Veterans Stadium.

    The top-seeded Lions scored two goals, both off set pieces within a 16-second stretch late in the first half, to come away with a 2-0 victory over No. 2 seed Sunny Hills in a contest that was delayed for 45 minutes due to lightning in the area.

    JSerra beat Sunny Hills 2-0 in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    Sunny Hills’ Ethan Castro looks to get the ball from JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    Sunny Hills’ Brayden Weimholt and JSerras Reagan Heslin battle for the ball in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    JSerra’s Tanner Casey head the ball in for a goal as they now lead Sunny Hills 2-0 in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    JSerra’s Reagan Heslin passes the ball as the Lions take on Sunny Hills in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    Sunny Hills’ Henry Garcia slides to kick the ball from JSerras Gavin Allegaert in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    JSerra boys soccer celebrate their big win over Sunny Hills in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    Sunny Hills’ Issac Morales battle for the ball with JSerras in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    Sunny Hills’ David Rezko battles for the ball with JSerras Reagan Heslin in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    JSerra’s Nathan Aquino looks to get the ball from Sunny Hills Issac Morales in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    JSerras players wait under the grandstand as there is a lightening delay in their game against Sunny Hills in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    JSerra’s Nathan Aquino looks to get the ball from Sunny Hills Issac Morales in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    Sunny Hills’ Mathias Brown battles a JSerra player for the ball in the pouring rain in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

    Sunny Hills is the runner-up in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game in Long Beach, CA, on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

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    JSerra’s set pieces have given been difficult to defend all season, in large part because of a pair of tall sophomores, Angel Reyes and Tanner Casey, who were the goal scorers for the Lions (18-1-1) against the previously unbeaten Lancers (21-1-3).

    The first goal was scored immediately after play resumed following the long delay that occurred 30 minutes into the game.

    “And I think that was to our advantage,” Lions forward Reagan Heslin said of the delay. “We all kept our heads straight. We were still focused on the job. We took advantage of something that isn’t usually common in the game and that is a big part of our culture. It’s bouncing back from adversity.”

    Reyes scored the first goal of the game from inside the box off of a throw-in and seconds later Casey headed the ball into the goal off a corner kick from Nathan Aquino.

    JSerra coach Erik Kirsch said last season’s loss to Servite on penalty kicks in the Division 1 final galvanized this year’s team and served as motivation throughout the season.

    “Culture is everything to me,” Kirsch said. “You saw them when they came out for the announcements, they were linked up. That is the fiber that has been created by this culture.”

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    Because of the long delay, halftime lasted five minutes instead of 10.

    Heading into the match, JSerra had scored a total of 15 goals through three playoff games compared to three for Sunny Hills.

    “Defensively we knew it was going to be a challenge to defend those set plays because they are so big and tall and they make great runs into the box,” Sunny Hills coach Mike Schade said. “We were a little too nervous and conservative in the first half and that has a lot to do with how good they are.”

    ​ Orange County Register 

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