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EU TAKES BUFF CUP
Hurtado goal seals Lancer championship
main soccer
East Unions Jesus Hurtado flips a scissor kick over River Citys Jorge Negrete. - photo by DAVE CAMPBELL/The Bulletin

Jacob Garcia got the ball rolling for East Union’s lone goal against River City of West Sacramento on Saturday but that was enough as the Lancers downed the Raiders 1-0 for the championship of the Ninth Annual Buffalo Cup at Guss Schmiedt Field. 

Five minutes into the second half Garcia covered a ball in the corner and spotted Giovanni Ruelas at the near post. Ruelas deftly laid the ball off to Jesus Hurtado in front of the goal and Hurtado powered it in for the goal.

“That was a great goal,” East Union coach Edgar Zelaya said. “Jesus used his speed.

‘We know we have a good group. We know we wanted to win the half and as soon as we win the half we win the game. This is my first year as varsity coach and it felt great to win.”

Hurtado’s goal helped East Union improve to 3-1-1.

“You come here and you spend all your day playing soccer,” Hurtado said. “It feels good to win the championship.”

There was some anxiety in the closing minutes for the Lancers. With four minutes left in the game, East Union was whistled for a handball just outside the box, giving the Raiders (2-1-1) a 19-yard penalty kick. The attempt was a good one, but it caromed off of the post and sailed wide. 

 

East Union 4,

Liberty Ranch of Galt 0

Hurtado scored three goals in the semifinal contest.

“To win you have to score goals and that’s my job,” Hurtado said. “I try to do it the best I can.”

Daniel Gomez had the other goal for the Lancers.

 

Third place

Manteca 1,

Liberty Ranch 0

Aron Navarrette kicked in his own rebound late in the first half and the Buffaloes (4-1) held that lead the rest of the game.

Ramon Rojas got a through ball to Navarette only for the Hawks goalkeeper to block the offering. Rojas alertly followed his shot and tapped in the rebound.

“It was a physical game,” Coenenberg said. “I thought both teams worked hard.

“We did a much better job in this game than in the semifinal. We were playing hard, winning balls in the air, doing things we weren’t doing in the first game. It was night and day as far as the games went.”

Semifinal

River City 0,

Manteca 0, (5-4)

The Raiders got in one more penalty kick than the Buffaloes.

“The first half we came out flat,” Coenenberg said. “We weren’t connecting passes, we weren’t working hard off the ball and because of that we did not create a lot of opportunities.

“The second half we came out and created some more opportunities and started to get a little better movement off of the ball but it just was not good enough.” 

 

Pitman Tournament

Sierra 3, Florin 2

TURLOCK – The Timberwolves finished the tournament 2-1-1.

Joel Lemus, Edy Aguilar and Kevin Mendiola each had a goal for Sierra (3-1-1) with Lemus, Athen Gonsalves and David Lopes each notching an assist on Saturday. 

 

Sierra 1, Patterson 0

Kevin Mendiola had the lone goal for the Timberwolves on a 30-yard shot unassisted shot. 

 

Enochs 4, Sierra 1

In Friday action, the Timberwolves could not manage a shot from the field and had to settle for a penalty kick by Eddie Aguilar.

 

Sierra 1,

Pitman of Turlock 1

The Timberwolves opened against the tournament host with David Lopez scoring on an assist by Eriq Kurys.