Class 2A boys soccer: Bang-bang as Connell repeats

CAMAS — Two quick tallies put the Connell High School boys soccer team back on top again.

Senior Ricardo Magana and sophomore Rogelio Nunez struck for a pair of goals less than a minute apart in the first half as the Eagles soared as Class 2A state champions for the second year in a row with a 2-0 title-game triumph over Sultan yesterday at Doc Harris Stadium.

Connell (22-1-0) completed its successful bid to become the first back-to-back 2A state champion since the 2A class got its own tournament in 1989. It was the school's third straight appearance in the championship match.

The quick-strike Eagles offense left Sultan (19-3-0) out of luck in its first championship appearance in the school's seven-year history of boys soccer.

On offense, Connell fired two bang-bang shots and with that essentially ended the Turks' hopes.

"They swarm the ball as fast and as hard as they can," Sultan coach Greg Stamatiou said of Connell, which loses just six seniors and could be a three-peat threat. "We weren't able to find the open space quick enough."

Sultan's size advantage was quickly negated by Connell's fleet feet and crisp passing.

Magana buried a 24-yard free kick — set up by a Sultan foul — into the upper right corner of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute on a perfectly struck ball. Then, in the 35th minute, Nunez pushed the lead to 2-0 when he got loose in front of the Sultan net for a 12-yard strike into the lower right corner.

Connell closed the season with its 19th consecutive victory. The Eagles ran their record to 40-4-2 in their two-year title reign.

Magana's free kick for the Eagles' first strike couldn't have been placed in a better spot, out of reach for Sultan goalkeeper Vern Nelson.

"Ricardo, he's just a wonder," Connell coach Hugo Garcia said. "He's a hard worker. He knows his job. Without Ricardo, my defense is weaker."

Quincy 3, Lakewood 2 (3rd-4th places) — Juan Lopez supplied a goal and an assist within a six-minute span in the first half as the Jackrabbits (18-3-2) claimed third place.

Lakewood's Bryce Barker tallied his state-leading 46th and 47th goals in the 44th and 76th minutes — the last one cutting the gap to 3-2. Barker, a senior, sneaked a shot just under the right arm of Quincy goalkeeper Jorge Rios on a 1-on-1 breakaway in the 44th and then added a similar one with four minutes left.

Barker also has 18 assists and 112 points this season — the top total in all classifications in the state. Lakewood (18-4-0) took home a school-best, fourth-place trophy.