SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – Servite’s soccer win over JSerra on Wednesday wasn’t as big as the previous time the Friars defeated the Lions.
But it still was big, and very meaningful.
The Friars defeated JSerra 2-0 at JSerra High in a Trinity League game as senior forward Gregg Gonzalez scored both goals, one in each half.
The previous Servite win over the Lions was in the CIF-SS Division 1 final in the 2021-22 season. The Friars defeated JSerra on penalty kicks in that championship game.
The win Wednesday makes Servite 2-0 in the Trinity League, which like in many sports is an elite league in boys soccer. The Friars beat Santa Margarita 2-0 in the league opener for both teams last week.
Servite 7-3 overall and ranked No. 4 in the Orange County Top 10.
JSerra, ranked No. 1 in Orange County and the defending champion in league and the CIF Southern Section, is 6-4 overall and 1-1 in league. The Lions beat St. John Bosco 2-1 in a league game last week.
Servite already was devoted to playing a tight defense before they got Gonzalez’s first goal seven minutes into the game. The Friars emphasized that more after their first goal, and even more so after the second.
“My defenders were committed,” said Servite coach Alex Ramirez. “That’s what we’re talking about on this team, about being committed. We’re trying to build young men who have a masculinity about them to do the right thing at all times, and doing the right thing at all times for your brothers means you go to whatever length it is.”
Ramirez, in his second season as Servite’s coach, said that was required to beat JSerra on the Lions’ home field. JSerra went undefeated last season while winning the Trinity League, CIF-SS Open Division and CIF Southern California Regional Division I championships.
“That opponent is incredibly dangerous,” Ramirez said of JSerra. “They have a lot of high-quality kids, especially No. 10 (Hudson Garner).”
Gonzalez’ first goal was a close shot, a blast past the right shin of JSerra goalkeeper Massimo Latini.
“As soon as I hit it,” Gonzalez said, “I knew it was going in because it felt so good.”
The second, his sixth goal of the season, was from 25 yards out 10 minutes into the second half. It was another high-velocity kick that glanced off of the bottom of the cross bar and into the net.
Gonzalez could not have put the ball in a better spot, but he admitted that was not by design. He said he just tried to kick it as hard as he could.
“To be honest, I just got the ball when I saw it bouncing,” he said. “And as soon as I hit that one it felt good, too.”
Servite senior forward Nico Pacelli liked how the Friars started the game with a serious focus and maintained that throughout the game.
“Our energy was very good,” Pacelli said. “We were locked in this whole week at training. We beat Santa Margarita last week and we had good momentum coming into this one.”
JSerra had a couple of scoring chances. Junior midfielder Aquiles Rodriguez, an All-Trinity League player who went into this week with a team-high four goals, missed high on a penalty kick. Lions senior midfielder AC Coltman’s strike in the second half was just wide left.
When Servite senior goalkeeper Andrew Lenert was briefly out of position no JSerra player could get a head or foot on the bouncing ball before Servite was able to clear it.
Lenert made a terrific save on a solid strike by JSerra midfielder Carter Biondolillo, with Lenert diving to his left to make the crucial stop in the second half.
Servite’s next game is a league match Friday at Mater Dei. JSerra’s next game is a league home game Friday against Orange Lutheran.