Kent-Meridian soccer players in their first meeting against Auburn Mountainview felt like they underperformed. The 2-0 loss did not show how talented and special this group of Royals are back on March 19.
But they had a second chance — on April 18 on the road — to get their revenge.
Since the 2-0 loss, the Royals won seven straight games, while on the otherside, the Lions had won nine. The two were destined for fireworks, and fireworks there were. Six goals, a handful of yellow cards and even a red card showed the passion these two teams had.
The contest lived up to the hype, and besides a 78th minute free kick goal, the Royals thought they had made a statement win. But Benji Toscano of Auburn Mountainview leveled the game at 3-3, and the two sides left wanting more.
“I thought we played well… It was good we came back,” Manager Brain Gabert said.
In the 16th minute of the first half, Auburn Mountainview’s Praneet Singh sent a free kick into the box that the Royal defenders could not clear, and that resulted in the first goal of the game.
The lead could have been more if not for Joey Villanueva. The junior goalkeeper had his number called a fair bit in the first half and kept his side in the game.
“Oh my God, my keeper came through big time. In the first half, he was huge. He keeps us in every game,” Gabert said.
At halftime, the Royals went to the locker room without much momentum. Outside of a couple of sporadic chances, the game was played largely in the midfield.
In the second half, the Lions took a 2-0 lead on a penalty kick after Benji Toscano was fouled inside the penalty area. But the tides were shifting, and when Garcia was given a penalty shot, he didn’t miss.
“The halftime changes woke us up. In the first half, we saw he had a chance, we just had a little switch at halftime and that helped us,” Johnny Chino Lopez said.
After Garcia cut the Lions’ lead in half in the 57th minute, the flood gates opened for the Royals. The first goal kick-started a spree of three goals in eight minutes for Kent-Meridian.
“We were on their side like the whole time in the first half. We just needed a goal to get back in the game,” said Irving Baca Silva.
The tying goal was off the foot of sophomore Delano Valerio on a pass from Irving Baca Silva in the 60th minute.
Kent-Meridian supporters have become common place this season, and they showed up in droves at Auburn Mountainview. When Valerio scored the game tying goal, the away section erupted.
The fans of both teams showed out to support their sides. It was one of the highest attended games in recent Auburn Mountainview history as there was standing room only in front of the bleachers.
“Hopefully we have more crowds like that because that was pretty special to see,” Gabert said.
Playing in front of those crowds is unusual for the Royals, but this year the team has developed a community culture.
“It’s a lot of motivation from the people that come out and support,” Baca Silva said.
Just when it couldn’t get any better for the Royals, freshman Riley Borman found the back of the net to take the lead in the 65th minute.
“The goal was on his weak foot, we have been practicing over and over. Then he took that touch inside and ‘uh oh I’m on my left foot.’ Then bam, he nailed it. It was so fun to see him to bang it in there, it was a shot. That was fantastic,” Gabert said.
To go from being down 2-0 just eight minutes before to leading 3-2 was a testament to the work that the Royals put in.
But after all the work to take the lead, the Lions spoiled the party and scored the game-tying goal in the 78th minute.
On a questionable handball call, Auburn Mountainview had a 30-yard free kick. Toscano did what he did against Kent-Meridian in the first matchup and kicked the perfect free kick.
Gabert was a bit disappointed in the draw because of the effort he saw his side put in. But a game like this gets him fired up for what is to come in the postseason: “I’m ready to go to the playoffs.”
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Kent-Meridian defenders react after Edgar Soltero scored the game’s first goal. Ben Ray / The Reporter
