Menlo-Atherton HS Boys Soccer Go 17-1-5 in a Spectacular Season

They made it to the finals, they played hard, and they lost. Menlo-Atherton High School varsity boys soccer team went undefeated all the way to the CCS Finals when they finally met a team that found a few openings in the brick wall of the M-A defensive team. They were small holes but #11 Jose Flores found them. Watsonville defeated M-A 3-1. Of the 17 M-A wins in the season 11 were shutouts. 

The 1 goal was a very special goal. Captain, senior and birthday boy Edgardo Molina chipped the ball over the head of the goalie - a signature Molina move executed as the crowd shouted Molina, Molina, Molina. 

Early in the game, Alexei Lopez was given a second yellow card for a questionable call, which in high school soccer means a red and the player must leave the game, but does not mean M-A played a man down. M-A certainly missed Alexei's height in the front line. James Sebes, who scored earlier in the season in a game against Aragon, stepped in and created a great scoring chance by heading the ball to Flint Mitchell who headed it towards the net. The Watsonville keeper had to make a great save, as he did on many of the plays that were in the box, to keep that one from going in. 

M-A's season was spectacular and the team and players have been recognized often in the press and this week by the PAL organization (Penninsula Athletic League). Edgardo Molina was named Forward co-Player of the Year and Aaron Oro Midfielder Player of the Year. Will Cabral and Elvis Abarca Cervantes (a sophmore) were named to the Bay Division First Team; Alexei Lopez, JP Nash, Daniel Gil and Julian Alcala were named to the Bay Division Second Team; and Marcos Amaral and Kevin Gutierrez were both given honorable mention. Kevin and Elvis are both coming back to provide a strong center line for the M-A team and its coach Jacob Pickard. 

M-A finishes the season at 17-1-5. Thanks boys.