SOCCER: Vasquez boys soccer falls as tempers flare
Feb. 21, 2014
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press Assistant Sports Editor
ACTON — One week after winning its first-ever Desert Mountain League championship on Feb. 6, the fortunes of the Vasquez boys soccer team took a turn for the worst when starting goalkeeper Dillon Byrne injured his leg, his season over.
Having no designated backup goalie and a Division 7 first-round playoff game against Grace Brethren scheduled for Thursday, midfielder Frankie Linstrom stepped up to become the impromptu keeper.
"I just tried as hard as I could," Linstrom said after the Mustangs fell 6-0 to the Lancers. "Can't do much more, just try as hard as you can."
In fighting through adversity alone, the Mustangs (11-7-3) did enough to not allow the lopsided loss to spoil the end of one of the greatest seasons the program's ever seen. Vasquez won the DML in the last league game of the season with a last-second goal.
Maybe providing even further solace, the Mustangs also didn't allow Grace Brethren to get out of Acton unscathed. The team that caught a bad break going into the playoffs gave the Lancers a broken nose.
"That was awesome," Linstrom said.
After giving up three goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half, Vasquez trailed 5-0 and the game's outcome was all but decided.
A few moments later, Vasquez's Danny Magdelano committed a hard foul on a Grace Brethren player. The Lancer took exception and pushed Magdelano to the ground, prompting players from both teams to rush to the aid of their teammates.
Multiple swings were taken, but only one got caught by the referees: Jorge Radillo's, which gave the retaliating Lancer a bloody nose.
"I can't say it was right," said Vasquez coach Jay Bonanno, who was standing 10 feet away from the ruckus. "I never want to see a game go that way, but I really feel all (Radillo) was doing was stepping up to support his family.
"He was there for his team. He didn't want to see his players get hit, so he stepped in there."
The altercation resulted in a 10-minute delay of the game to cool down both teams' tempers. Radillo was then shown a red card while the bloodied Lancer received a yellow one.
Back in the game, the Mustangs were still at it, looking for an elusive first goal. It wouldn't come. Instead, Grace Brethren's Coby Larson closed his hat-trick afternoon with a goal that came from 35 yards out for the final score of the game.
"I think the score did justice to what happened on the field," Larson said.
Vasquez kept the game close in the first half. Its improvised goalie, Linstrom, came away with saves and cleared dangerous balls away from his penalty area.
"Impressive," Bonanno said of Linstrom, who totaled six saves for the game. "The shots he was blocking. It was still fantastic."
But in the 20th minute, Larson got a deep pass and found himself one-on-one against Linstrom. The senior Lancer didn't waste the opportunity and shot it past the keeper for the first goal of the afternoon.
Following that, the Lancers seemed to gain confidence. That combined with their three quick goals after halftime was too much for the Mustangs to overcome.
"Me being a player, I've been there," Bonanno said. "And it's so hard to even stay out on this field with people up in the stands and watching you lose.
"It takes a lot of pride in yourself and your family, your team, to stay out there and play your best when you're playing that many goals down. I'm proud of them as a coach."
At the end, the Mustangs got a standing ovation from the crowd for their groundbreaking season. Vasquez finished 6-1-3 in DML play to edge Mammoth, which had won the prior three league championships. It was a fitting finish for them and Bonanno, the third-year coach who is stepping down after this season.
And while the Mustangs got a bad break to end the season, they head into the offseason feeling fortunate to have endured the year they just had.
"They got to know we are still league champions," said Bonanno, who still plans to be around for the team. "We had the best record we've ever had and won the championship for the first time ever.
"They got to go out with their heads up."
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press Assistant Sports Editor
ACTON — One week after winning its first-ever Desert Mountain League championship on Feb. 6, the fortunes of the Vasquez boys soccer team took a turn for the worst when starting goalkeeper Dillon Byrne injured his leg, his season over.
Having no designated backup goalie and a Division 7 first-round playoff game against Grace Brethren scheduled for Thursday, midfielder Frankie Linstrom stepped up to become the impromptu keeper.
"I just tried as hard as I could," Linstrom said after the Mustangs fell 6-0 to the Lancers. "Can't do much more, just try as hard as you can."
In fighting through adversity alone, the Mustangs (11-7-3) did enough to not allow the lopsided loss to spoil the end of one of the greatest seasons the program's ever seen. Vasquez won the DML in the last league game of the season with a last-second goal.
Maybe providing even further solace, the Mustangs also didn't allow Grace Brethren to get out of Acton unscathed. The team that caught a bad break going into the playoffs gave the Lancers a broken nose.
"That was awesome," Linstrom said.
After giving up three goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half, Vasquez trailed 5-0 and the game's outcome was all but decided.
A few moments later, Vasquez's Danny Magdelano committed a hard foul on a Grace Brethren player. The Lancer took exception and pushed Magdelano to the ground, prompting players from both teams to rush to the aid of their teammates.
Multiple swings were taken, but only one got caught by the referees: Jorge Radillo's, which gave the retaliating Lancer a bloody nose.
"I can't say it was right," said Vasquez coach Jay Bonanno, who was standing 10 feet away from the ruckus. "I never want to see a game go that way, but I really feel all (Radillo) was doing was stepping up to support his family.
"He was there for his team. He didn't want to see his players get hit, so he stepped in there."
The altercation resulted in a 10-minute delay of the game to cool down both teams' tempers. Radillo was then shown a red card while the bloodied Lancer received a yellow one.
Back in the game, the Mustangs were still at it, looking for an elusive first goal. It wouldn't come. Instead, Grace Brethren's Coby Larson closed his hat-trick afternoon with a goal that came from 35 yards out for the final score of the game.
"I think the score did justice to what happened on the field," Larson said.
Vasquez kept the game close in the first half. Its improvised goalie, Linstrom, came away with saves and cleared dangerous balls away from his penalty area.
"Impressive," Bonanno said of Linstrom, who totaled six saves for the game. "The shots he was blocking. It was still fantastic."
But in the 20th minute, Larson got a deep pass and found himself one-on-one against Linstrom. The senior Lancer didn't waste the opportunity and shot it past the keeper for the first goal of the afternoon.
Following that, the Lancers seemed to gain confidence. That combined with their three quick goals after halftime was too much for the Mustangs to overcome.
"Me being a player, I've been there," Bonanno said. "And it's so hard to even stay out on this field with people up in the stands and watching you lose.
"It takes a lot of pride in yourself and your family, your team, to stay out there and play your best when you're playing that many goals down. I'm proud of them as a coach."
At the end, the Mustangs got a standing ovation from the crowd for their groundbreaking season. Vasquez finished 6-1-3 in DML play to edge Mammoth, which had won the prior three league championships. It was a fitting finish for them and Bonanno, the third-year coach who is stepping down after this season.
And while the Mustangs got a bad break to end the season, they head into the offseason feeling fortunate to have endured the year they just had.
"They got to know we are still league champions," said Bonanno, who still plans to be around for the team. "We had the best record we've ever had and won the championship for the first time ever.
"They got to go out with their heads up."