SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – Mater Dei won the Trinity League boys soccer championship two seasons ago. JSerra won it last season and three seasons ago.
It looks like it’s Mater Dei’s turn to win it this season.
Mater Dei defeated JSerra 1-0 in a league game Wednesday at JSerra High.
Santiago Schelotto scored the game’s only goal three minutes into the first half.
The Monarchs (10-0 overall, 4-0 in league) are ranked No. 1 in the Orange County Top 10.
Servite is in second place at 3-1 in league after its 1-0 win over St. John Bosco on Wednesday.
JSerra and Orange Lutheran are tied for third place with 2-2 league records. Orange Lutheran beat Santa Margarita 3-1 on Wednesday.
Schelotto jumped on a loose ball just a couple of feet in front of the JSerra goal and easily popped it in for a 1-0 lead.
“I just tapped it in,” Schelotto said of his sixth goal of the season.
He was quickly mobbed by his ecstatic teammates after he scored.
“The happiness was crazy,” Schelotto said.
Schelotto’s father, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, was a great player in Argentina, an MLS MVP for the Columbus Crew in 2008 and the LA Galaxy coach.
After the quick goal, Mater Dei was brilliant defensively. The Monarchs gave JSerra little opportunity to make an offensive threat, and that pleased Mater Dei coach Sean Ganey.
“We have a really special group,” said Ganey, in his 15th season as Monarchs coach.
“Our back four, our goalkeeper (Nate Enriquez) — Nate’s incredible. Then you have (defenders) Griffin Brandon, Isaiah Covarrubias, Danny Carriedo. And we had a freshman, Jake Amaya, back there. I’m just stoked on their work rate and their discipline.”
JSerra, which is 4-3-1 overall and ranked No. 3 in Orange County, was strong defensively, too.
Lions goalkeeper Massimo Lantini made two great saves, including a diving stop to his right in the first half as he got his right hand on a shot by Ashton Jones to deflect the ball away.
One of the Lions’ better scoring chances came 27 minutes into the second half. Landon Feltham tried to square up on a bouncing ball, but could not get off a solid shot.
In the first half a header by JSerra’s Carter Biondolillo sailed only a couple of feet above the cross bar.
JSerra-Mater Dei soccer is among the better rivalries in Orange County sports. Ganey said it was important for the Monarchs to not let that affect their focus on the game plan.
“It’s always emotional when we’re playing those guys,” Ganey said. “So we had to keep our emotions in check.
“We talked about wanting our teammates to have more, whatever it is. How can we encourage our teammates when we’re on the bench, how to give your teammates more on the field like being unselfish in the final moments, to do the extra work defensively.”
Mater Dei senior midfielder James Obleda, a vocal on-field leader, was pleased with his teammates’ play Wednesday.
“Our team showed a lot of grit,” said Obleda, who is tied with Matthew Miranda for the team-high in goals with eight. “That’s what it’s going to take to win the league and go farther. Everyone was on the train to win, the goalies, the entire bench, the coaches.”
Schelotto said for the Monarchs to get the league championship, they need to play with the business-like approach they displayed Wednesday.
“We need to keep the switch on and not let the emotions take over,” Schelotto said.
In last week’s CIF Southern Section computer-generated rankings, JSerra is No. 2 behind Mira Costa and Mater Dei is No. 10. The rankings will determine which divisions teams are in for the playoffs and the seedings.
Mater Dei plays at St. John Bosco (0-3-1 in league) in a league game Friday.
JSerra’s next game is at home Friday against Santa Margarita (0-3-1 in league).
The next JSerra-Mater Dei boys soccer game is Jan. 30 at Mater Dei.
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