Boys Soccer: El Rancho stays perfect, beats Pioneer, 2-0


Staff file photo by Leo Jarzomb

I got my first look at El Rancho High School’s boys soccer team, which is the defending CIF-SS Division 4 champion, the top ranked team in the division this season and at last count, No. 3 in the state.
The Dons certainly looked the part Friday, at least in the second half, scoring two goals in back half of the game two beat Pioneer, 2-0.
Here’s the game story:

PICO RIVERA — El Rancho High School didn’t win a CIF-Southern Section divisional boys soccer title last season without learning how to evade a few land mines.
The Dons continued the practice Friday afternoon.
Miguel Vilchis and Francisco Lara scored scored second-half goals to lift El Rancho to a 2-0 victory over visiting Pioneer in a Del Rio League battle that featured two of the better teams in Division 4.
The Dons, also getting an assist from Mauricio Lopez and three saves from goalie David Lopez, improved to 13-0 overall and 2-0 in league play.
The Titans, who lost in overtime to California in their league opener on Wednesday, slipped to 8-3-4 and 0-2.
“I don’t know if it’s so much the experience from last year as they finally played (during the second half) the way they are capable of,” said El Rancho coach Dominic Picon, whose team outshot Pioneer, 10-3, in the key second half. “We didn’t even touch – in the first half – what we’re capable of. I think it’s that we figured out that we can’t just show up and expect to win.
“It’s a good lesson for this team to learn, because the last couple of games, we’ve done that.”

It showed almost immediately during the second half.
El Rancho, ranked No. 1 in Division 4, pushed hard during the first 10 minutes of the half and twice hit the post from shots in the penalty area during the 45th minute before ending the deadlock in the 59th.
The critical moment came in the 52nd minute when midfielder Cristian Roldan broke free just outside the penalty area and was pulled down by Pioneer’s Ricardo Corona, who was ejected.
Vilchis was wide on his direct kick. But the series set up the midfielder a few minutes later. Roldan sent a hard shot that Jose Alvarez blocked for a save. But the ball ricocheted right to Vilchis on the side of the net. The junior didn’t miss the rebound and beat Alvarez for a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute.
“I think what did us in was the poor clearance on the keeper,” Pioneer coach Dennis Aikey said. “That red card made all the difference in the world. We were even.
“It was a red card. But it’s a shame the game turned out that way. They had the advantage on us from that moment on.
“They did what they had to do, being a man up.”
El Rancho continued to put the pressure on and broke through again. This time it was keyed by a charge from Mauricio Lopez.
The junior broke free down the side and hit a hard-charging Lara with a near-perfect cross pass in the goal mouth. Lara easily tapped it in for a 2-0 lead in the 78th minute.
“We finally started taking a number of chances,” Picon said. “When they got a man down, you could tell they started getting tired.”
Pioneer had two chances to score in the final 12 minutes. But Jaime Ayala was wide on a direct kick, and Alejandro Carrillo’s shot from the top of the penalty area was blocked.

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