LA MIRADA, Calif. (July 30, 2005) – For nearly 80 minutes, the Southern California Seahorses soccer team controlled the ball and the game against the Cascade Surge on Saturday in a USL Premier Development League playoff game at La Mirada High School. In the next two minutes, the Surge took over and won, 2-1, to advance to Sunday’s Western Conference final against top-seeded Orange County Blue Star.

 

Nonetheless, the Seahorses (11-5-1) completed a season full of successes that General Manager Paul Gizzi described as a starting point for the future.

 

“This was Todd Elkins’ first year (as head coach) and he really put some things into place for us going forward,” Gizzi said. “A number of our young guys really solidified themselves. We have a terrific group of players, both youthful and veterans. Experiences such as playing Yokohoma Marinos and Chivas USA were so exciting for this organization. The Lord really has blessed us with incredible ministry opportunities, and we see the stage is set for us to do so much more.”

 

The Seahorses led against the Surge, 1-0, on a goal by Beau Lawson in the final minute of the first half. Lawson followed a rebound off an Anthony Stovall shot and blasted it past Surge goalkeeper Morgan Cathey from about 5 yards.

 

They held their one-goal lead until the 80th minute when the Surge’s Troy Ready sent a short, hard cross that bounced off the side of a Seahorses player’s leg and into the goal for a 1-1 tie.

 

Two minutes later, the Surge scored the game-winner when Ready dribbled to the middle and dropped a pass behind him to Dana McGregor, who sent a low blast from 15 yards past Seahorses goalkeeper Eric Reed.

 

The Seahorses didn’t quit. They pressured the Surge in the final minutes, forcing Cascade goalkeeper Morgan Cathey to come up with big saves to save the game. On one play in the final minute, Patrick Ianni got a close-in header off Anthony Stovall’s corner kick, only to have Cathey knock it away over the end line. Again, Stovall sent a corner kick into the middle, but another header was stopped easily by Cathey and the Surge ran out the clock.

 

Cathey was credited with four saves on the game, while the Seahorses’ Reed had seven.

 

The Surge’s victory avenged a 3-2 playoff loss to the Seahorses in 2002 in Spokane.

USL Premier Development League
Western Conference Playoffs
CASCADE SURGE 2, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SEAHORSES 1
Halftime: Seahorses 1-0
Goals: Lawson (SC); Ready (Cas), McGregor (Cas)
Assists: Stovall (SC); Ready (Cas)
Goalie Saves: Reed (SC) 7; Cathey (Cas) 4
Site: La Mirada HS
Attd: 189
Records: Cascade 13-2-2; Southern California 11-5-1