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Health & Fitness

Finally, LCA soccer awakes

Ever the underdog, Lighthouse wins against big Village Christian 4-2

SUN VALLEY – As if waking from a Rip Van Winklian slumber, LCA's varsity soccer team nabbed its first win of the 2013-14 season Thursday against Village Christian 4-2.

Last season, Lighthouse Christian Academy finished fourth in its CIF league, but this season losses of key players and injuries have induced soccer somnambulance. For five games (it's seemed like 20 years), the Saints hadn't won.

A major hole in their squad has been goal-scoring. Four eye-sore zeroes glare on LCA game scorelines. Their only goal was scored by the goalie. (Yes, the goalie! More on that later.)

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But on Jan. 9, goals came amply. Debut forward Michael Moore found the net when his fast feet beat the goalie and slotted the ball home in the second half to open scoring.

Playing only half of the 80 minutes because he's recovering from injury, experienced midfielder Rob Ashcraft injected dynamism and dominance into the Saints.

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Carrying the ball up the left side of the field with befuddling feints and intricate bell maneuvers, Rob passed multiple defenders single-handedly (or should we say, “single-footedly?”). Suddenly he cut center and drilled the ball from 20 yards in a shot that caught the goalie flat-footed. It was 2-0 and Saints' frustration began to cede to elation.

Rob retains a rare combination of soccer skills. He drives the ball with a physicality that evokes a furious toro. His precision touch looks like ballerina pirouettes to slip out of a gaggle of defenders still I possession of the ball. As they say in soccer, every team needs piano movers and piano players – and Rob is both.

It was Rob who sent a corner kick to the far post, that upstart forward Shane Berry headed in with aplomb to make the score 3-0.

Well into the second half, the Saints pretty much let their guard down with the ample margin. Because LCA took its foot off the gas pedal, Village Christian Crusaders were able to score a nimble backheal goal that left the scorer ecstatic. It was his first goal ever.

Rob remained relentless. He again skated up the left side, breezing past security checkpoints as he were the president a West African country. Now in the box, he scored an awkward outer-sole right footer shot. When I saw the improbable strike, I wasn't sure if I believe my eyes. It was 4-1.

Late into the second half, general distraction again descended on the Saints, which the Crusaders exploited to knock in number two for a measure of respectability. Lighthouse, a school of 50 students, had beat the high school with 500.

By the final whistle, LCA's goal tally had lurched forward. The Saints can still make much progress to improve upon the brilliance of their captains.

Keeper Adrian Brizuela scored Dec. 9 against Shalhevet High School at the Corsair field of Santa Monica College. Shalhevet was winning 1-0, when in the last minutes, Adrian abandoned his box to attack on a corner kick. Shalhevet players unwisely left him unmarked.

The ball fell to his feet, and the skillful leftie curled the ball into upper righthand corner of the net to eke out a tie. It was one of those astonishing gems that make you wish you had a video camera recording to upload it to YouTube. How did he curl left with his left foot? But, alas, no such filming was taking place.

LCA takes on rivals New Roads at Penmar Park on Monday in a game that is sure to be difficult.

Read about LCA's subsequent victory here.


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