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ORANGE — Orange Lutheran’s ascent as a boys soccer powerhouse continued Friday night with a golden goal and equally gleaming celebration.
Senior midfielder Xavier Alcantar scored on a penalty kick late in the second, sudden-death overtime period to lift the Lancers past visiting Harvard-Westlake 2-1 in a dramatic semifinal match in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs at Orange Lutheran High.
Orange Lutheran, which captured the Division 4 title last season, immediately sprinted toward its fans in the grandstand following Alcantar’s winning strike. The players leaped onto the fence to relished their first trip to the Division 1 finals.
“It was just a great moment,” said Alcantar, who scored on a penalty drawn by senior forward Hector Arellanes. “(Our fans) have been supporting us through this whole journey. Just to be able to celebrate with them, and for them to also feel the passion that we have on the field, is just a great moment that we can all share.”
What a game! @OLu_Athletics 2-1 on penalty late 2nd OT! pic.twitter.com/U8giJkYt3J
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) February 17, 2024
Orange Lutheran (11-6-5) will face Trinity League rival and traditional power Servite in the final Feb. 24. The third-seeded Friars beat Crossroads 5-0 in the other semifinal.
“It’s crazy,” Orange Lutheran coach Mike Oseguera said of his team’s leap to the Division 1 final from Division 4. “That’s what playing in the Trinity League gets you ready for. We play the Mater Deis and the JSerras and the Servites six times a year. It gets you ready for these harden, battled games.”
With time nearly expired in the second, 10-minute overtime, Arellanes pounced on a ball that briefly got away from a defender. He dribbled against two defenders inside the Wolverines’ penalty box until being taken down.
“The whole year, I’ve drawn like six PKs,” Arellanes said. “(Alcantar) finished it, so that’s the main thing.”
Harvard-Westlake (18-5-1) forced overtime with a goal in the 76th minute. Tyler Ullrich scored after a Wolverines’ cross was punched out by leaping Orange Lutheran goalie Dillan Danks, who was shaken up on the play.
“The group showed so much fight,” said Harvard-Westlake coach Mike Erush, whose Mission League champion team advances to the regional playoffs.
Arrellanes scored in eighth minute by blasting a shot from 25 yards just below the crossbar.
The Lancers’ defense held off several surges by Harvard-Westlake with contributions from Alex Vasquez, Mateo Ambriz, Nathan Almanza, Enri Oseguera and Jaycob Garcia among others.
Danks tallied seven saves, including one with his leg early in the second half against a close range shot.