Sweet win for CdM

Bryce Alderton

Any bitter residue from last year’s CIF playoff loss was quickly

replaced with a much sweeter sensation Friday for the Corona del Mar

High boys soccer team.

A year after El Dorado knocked them out of the postseason with a

1-0 triumph, the Sea Kings reversed fate to earn the program’s first

playoff win in 11 years. Playing without arguably their best player,

Julien Cerutti, the Sea Kings dissected visiting Moreno Valley and

cruised to a 4-1 CIF Southern Section Division II first-round

victory.

Senior forward Chris Ringstrom scored two goals while Danny

Whitaker and Shane Collins each added single goals for the Sea Kings

(13-3-6), the Pacific Coast League champions who have now won four

straight.

“It’s a phenomenal feeling,” CdM Coach Pat Callaghan said. “I feel

great for the boys. They put a lot into this. I had a bitter taste

after losing to El Dorado last year. We learned a lesson from that

and expected to win.”

The Sea Kings controlled the game from the outset, using their

height advantage to gain control of more 50-50 balls and denying

Moreno Valley (18-5-2), making its first CIF playoff appearance in 10

years, many scoring chances.

Midfileder Nick Ossipoff stepped in for Cerutti, who was suspended

for one game after receiving two yellow cards in CdM’s

league-clinching victory against Northwood Feb. 11. Ossipoff, along

with Jeritt Thayer, were quicker to stray balls than their opponents.

“Julien takes the team to a different level, but Nick played a

quality game. He did what he had to do,” Callaghan said. “They all

worked well together.”

Whitaker and Ringstrom have found each other with frequency along

the front lines the last two games and Friday was no different. Each

assisted the other on goals.

CdM, which never trailed, increased its lead to 3-1 in the 44th

minute when Whitaker’s diving header off a cross from Ringstrom

sneaked inside the near post. Defender Parker Ferguson lobbed a pass

to Ringstrom to begin the attack.

“We’ve played the last four years together and, in the last two

games, the coaches have told us about creating runs to get

opportunities and finishing,” Whitaker said. “We don’t think out

there. It happens and you react.”

Whitaker and Ringstrom have accounted for eight of CdM’s nine

goals in its last two victories.

“In the last two or three games they are finally working

together,” Callaghan said. “They win the ball, look up and find a

teammate and set goals for one another.”

Moreno Valley was overmatched both physically and psychologically,

Coach Danny Alvarez said.

“[Corona] del Mar is a strong team,” Alvarez said. “We have small

kids and they have big kids. The kids were too hyper and they didn’t

calm down fast enough. We had five different chances to score, but

just couldn’t get it done.”

The Vikings, the third-place team from the Ivy League, tied the

score at 1 in the 24th minute when Othaniel Yanez snuck past CdM

defenders to head in a free kick.

That was the only blemish for CdM senior goalkeeper Jay Zimmerman,

who made four saves. Sweeper Shane Collins provided staunch defense

and capped the scoring with a goal on a penalty kick in the final

minute. Jose Villalain drew the foul within the six-yard box to set

up the penalty shot.

“We played our game and it started with the ‘D’,” senior Cory

Azzalino said. “Everyone stuck to the plan, held shape and gave [the

Vikings] no open looks.

“This is a big win. It is momentum for us.”

The Sea Kings will face fourth-seeded Santa Monica, a 1-0 winner

over Chaminade, at 3 p.m. Tuesday. A coin flip will determine the

site.