Sloppy because of soda, but Saints still win 7-2

He netted a brace, helping Lighthouse Christian Academy overwhelm Gorman Learning Center 7-2 on Tuesday, but Mosie Bowen wasn't happy.

"I did bad. I was drinking too much soda today," the sophomore said. "I drink soda all day every day. It's my addiction. I didn't want to fall asleep in Mr. (Josh) Young's class, so I drank soda to wake up."

With 24 hours before a match, players should avoid sugar, dairy and junk food. Apparently Mosie is as sloppy at his eating habits as he was in the game.

Born in Africa to missionary parents, Mosie was weaned on soccer in a region of the world where superstars of European leagues are born playing barefoot or in flip-flops on hard-packed dirt.

His upbringing is evident in his dominance. But if Mosie, who is striker for Lighthouse, plays off target with the ball, he's on target pinpointing problem.

Tuesday's win was LCA's third straight in CIF Southern Section's Omega League. But the Saints lacked the gracefulness and speed, as well as overall vision, of last year's undefeated team.

"We have a good group for sure, but we need to improve on a lot of things, on the basics," admitted Coach Junior Cervantes, who played for Santa Monica College. (Junior attended Lighthouse and overcame incredible odds to become the soccer star and a man of God.)

Another goal scorer was Hosea Ashcraft, another missionary kid, who blasted three. Raised in Guatemala, he was making goals in league play at age 4. Even then, he was prescient for goal. His coach nick-named him "Messi," after the Argentine star.

Gorman scored on LCA defensive lapses. Its first goal put the teams even at 1-1 early in the first half. But then Lighthouse began its onslaught. The game was played at Westwood Recreation Center.

Gorman's second goal was actually an LCA own goal. A bouncing ball was headed out when goalie Jordan Sheppard, a senior, accidentally re-directed into his net, trying to pick it up.

In the second half, Jordan more than redeemed himself, using his 220 lb, 6'3" body with basket ball-trained arms well to frustrate the unrelenting Gorman quest for more.

It wasn't by technical brilliance, then, that Lighthouse won. It was by size and muscle. In typical Lighthouse fashion, most of the team members turned in their football uniforms virtually the same day they received their soccer jerseys. All that muscle from football could intimidate.

If both teams were weighed on teeter-totter scale, the taller, bulkier players from Lighthouse would well have launched the Gorman players collectively into space in a trajectory straight back to the Grapevine (on the 5 Highway), where they came from.

As the minutes, Gorman players settled their nerves and fell into their beautiful game.

If work ethic were the crucial factor, Gorman would have won. Its players dominated 50-50 balls and one-on-one challenges. Its passing game was top notch.

Despite the lopsided scoreline, Gorman never caved in from discouragement. Hosea and Mosie simply punished any defensive mistake, and Hosea, in midfield, continuously launched dangerous, penetrating balls into range.

Two goals were scored by Marcus Scribner, a bunker-buster football player. By nature, his sports are football and basketball, which it doesn't have. So Marcus supports the soccer team mostly because the soccer players support the football team.

"I love playing with these guys. It's so fun," Marcus said. "We have so many good players. Our defense is good. Josie (Bowen) and Joey (Catalano) leading the defense. We have Garrett (Lahood), Hosea and Mosie. We just have skilled players all around, and it makes it fun to play.

"When you've got amazing players all around you, it makes my job easy."

He has every reason to enjoy the win. But those who know soccer deeply might be worried about LCA's long-term prospects this season.

"My two goals were luck," Mosie said. "I promise you that."

On Wednesday, Lighthouse faces SCVI.

Pictured: A Gorman player fires at goal late in the second half. The three LCA goal scorers, Mosie Bowen (2), Marcus Scribner (2) and Hosea Ashcraft (3), who (in the interest of reportorial objective and full disclosure ) is this reporter's son. Michael Ashcraft, a former missionary, teaches journalism at Lighthouse.

Read here LCA's game against Pilgrim School, and here its game against Highland Hall.