It was like a World Cup-winning moment for the Carpinteria-based men’s soccer club UdeG.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary of existence on the South Coast, the club, named after the University of Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico, won the major division championship of the Central Coast Soccer League last weekend, beating Press Room FC, 4-2, in a penalty-kick shootout. The teams played to a 2-2 draw at Girsh Park.
UdeG goalkeeper Ricky Cornejo, a 16-year-old Carpinteria High junior, clinched the shootout win with a block on Press Room’s last spot kick. Juan Pablo Alvarez (Carpinteria High alum), Nathan Lopez (Buena High alum), Stephan Marcano (CSU Bakersfield alum) and Giacomo Gabrielle (Dos Pueblos High, Santa Barbara Soccer Club, MLS Next alum, Princeton University sophomore) converted for the champions.
The title was the second in three seasons for UdeG, which finished as runners-up last year.
UdeG took a 2-0 lead in the game on goals from Gabrielle and Jerry Ramos. Press Room got one back late in the first half and scored the equalizer early in the second half.
“They had a chance to win it with two minutes left but their shot from 8 yards went a few inches wide of the post,” said UdeG player Daniel Torres of Press Room.
Torres, whose father, Daniel Torres, Sr., is one of founding members of UdeG and its team manager, said winning the title on the 50th anniversary of the club was special.
“It meant a great deal to the team coaches Juan Martinez and Gabriel Garcia and my dad.”
UdeG advanced to the final with a 6-3 first-round playoff win over Guadalajara and a dramatic PK shootout victory over San Nicolas in the semifinals.
The UdeG team members are: Nathaniel Avila, Vicente Torres, Juan Martinez, Brandon Martinez, Cristiano Alvarez, Tony Alvarez, Eddie Mendoza, Edwin Elizarraras, Giacamo Gabrielle, Stephan Marcano, Alexis Carmona, Nathan Lopez, Juan Pablo Alvarez, Jesse Wangusi, Angel Cervantes, Rene Vela, Marcos Hernandez, Jose Jimenez, Nathan Reiner, Mario Martinez Jr., Cesar Vega, Omar Sanchez, Daniel Torres, Gaspar Martinez, Diego Martinez, Lucky Puengrod, Mikey Cornejo, Oscar Garcia, Jerry Ramos, David Roldan, Eric Contreras, Alex Avila, Alex Kobayashi, Christopher Ramirez.
The Central Coast Soccer League has been in existence since 1963. Over the years, it has produced quality players and teams that have competed on bigger stages.
