Cate freshman Samuel Anum and senior Peter Wood both scored on rebound goals to carry the Rams to a 2-1 win Friday in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 6 playoffs.
And that included an assist on Wood’s 79th-minute game-winner by senior center Kobby Nimako, playing his first game of the season after being out with an injury.
“Both teams came out hitting on all cylinders with a fast-paced back-and-forth game,” Cate coach Jorge Reynoso said.
The Rams took the lead in the 31st minute when sophomore Ari Seal passed to a sprinting Anum who met the Maranatha goalkeeper on a one-on-one. After an initial block, Anum rebounded his own shot and found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
The Minutemen scored the equalizer in the 55th minute.
With a minute to go, Nimako sprinted from his defensive post and passed to Wood, whose shot on goal was deflected by the Minuteman goalkeeper. However, Wood then found the back of the net for the winner.
Cate is now 10-2-0 on the season. On Tuesday the Rams will either host Coachella Valley or travel to Woodcrest Christian High School in Riverside.
“Getting Kobby and Sophomore winger Seb Sutch back for the playoffs is a huge boost for us,” Reynoso said. “Both were key to today’s win. It was a solid performance against a solid opponent. It took a team effort to win today.”