Jim Riggio
FLINTRIDGE PREP -- Flintridge Prep boys' soccer Coach Rob Banning
knew that his team would have a tough time stopping Mary Star of the
Sea's attack.
Sure enough the Rebels couldn't keep the Stars away from scoring.
But instead it was the Rebels who put together a stronger offensive
attack and it led to a 4-2 overtime victory over the visiting Stars
Friday in a CIF Southern Section Division V quarterfinal match.
"They had a lot of speed up front and my hats off to my defense,"
Banning said. "Our defense did a great job."
Flintridge Prep (11-7-4) will now face Prep League rival Pasadena
Poly, a 5-0 winner over Brentwood, in the semifinals Tuesday.
The semifinal appearance will not only be the first for Banning, who
is in his 12th year, but it will be the first in school history.
Flintridge Prep lost to Pasadena Poly 2-0 and 2-1 in their two
meetings.
The Rebels took a 1-0 lead eight minutes into the match, as Sean
Pramov crossed the ball from the right side to Richardson Lang, who put
the ball in the left corner of the goal.
Mary Star of the Sea (16-7-4) came back to tie the score in the 22nd
minute, as Brian Fraumeni fired a fly ball from outside the box that went
in the corner and gave Rebel goalie Benjamin Watt no chance at a save.
Flintridge Prep wasted little time allowing the Stars to enjoy the
momentum, as Sean Pramov took advantage of a defensive error by the Stars
in the 23rd minute.
On the play, Pramov shot the ball from the right side of the goal, and
off of the left goal post before going in.
Mary Star of the Sea goalie Anthony Quealy, who dove at the ball as
Pramov took the shot, was injured on the play and play was stopped for 25
minutes. After being transported to a local hospital, Quealy was found to
have broken his shin in two places.
Flintridge Prep held a 2-1 halftime lead, but the Stars battled back
to tie the score in the 48th minute.
Ryan Rossi headed the ball backwards off a Todd French throw-in, and
it was able to find the corner of the net.
The Rebels nearly won the game in regulation as Drew Picone headed in
a corner kick from Brian Pramov.
But just before Picone jumped to head the ball in, he was whistled for
jumping over a Mary Star defender.
Flintridge Prep took the lead for good just 33 seconds into overtime,
as Michael Nijjar headed the ball into the net after his initial header
hit the top post.
The Rebels put the game away in the 89th minute.
Joel Lipman's free kick was blocked by the Star wall, but Dominic
Capaldi crossed the rebound to Tizoc Cruz-Gonzales.
Cruz-Gonzales was able to sneak in past Mary Star of the Sea's
offsides trap and head the ball into the net, as Star goalie Anthony
Marino had come out to make a save.
"They have a really good team," Mary Star of the Sea Coach Filippo
Salvato said. "I had a lot of respect for them."
