The562’s middle school sports coverage is sponsored by the Long Beach Century Club.
Heading into kickoff for the All-City Middle School Boys’ Soccer Division I Championship, both Keller and Bancroft had a lot on the line: Keller looking to win that back-to-back title and Bancroft wanting to finish their legendary playoff run with a bang.
Keller dominated in league play, outscoring everyone else 50-4 in seven games and was the favorite going into the game.
Early on, it was a fight between the teams, but Keller’s Isiah Rua broke through, putting their first goal away and giving the Lobos the lead. Throughout the first half, Keller was consistently playing in Bancroft’s eighteen, but Bancroft’s defense didn’t let anything through until the following twenty-five minutes of play.
The action started in the second half with two controversial no-goal calls that fell in favor of the underdogs.
To further their lead, Keller’s Diego Fula Coba finished a ball from the top of the eighteen to put the Lobos up 2-0. Keller decided two goals wasn’t enough when Denzel Jones-Bayon scored a goal almost identical to that just a few minutes before.
Bancroft couldn’t end the championship game without proving themselves, and they did just that when there were awarded a penalty kick. Charlie Reichardt sunk the shot into the back of the net and brought the score to 3-1.
The Bruins couldn’t find the net again, giving Keller the title win in a 3-1 final score. The Lobos were fueled to the victory on a seasoned team with eight returners.
“[I am] incredibly proud of this team and these boys,” Keller Head Coach Ken Webber said. “[They] found themselves as a strong unit.” throughout the season.
This championship win gives Keller back-to-back All-City titles. Next year, the Lobos will hunt for the 3-peat as they expect 10 returning players to come back for the team.
