Penalty Shot

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - Whether at even strength or down one player, the Flintridge Prep boys' soccer team generated plenty of quality scoring opportunities Thursday afternoon during its Prep League match against Webb. Flintridge Prep Coach Mathew Bowden couldn't find fault in the effort after watching his players get turned aside with excellent saves by Webb goalkeeper Ian Harbison in the Rebels' 2-0 home loss at the Glendale Sports Complex. "We just couldn't get the goal at the right time," said Bowden, whose team fell to 7-5-1, 3-2 in league and split the two-match season series with Webb (7-7, 2-3)

LONG BEACH — St. Francis High soccer player Amir Moore has developed a sudden knack for scoring dramatic postseason goals, and the forward’s latest effort has St. Francis’ playoff drive still going in full force. Moore scored six minutes into sudden-death overtime to power St. Francis to a 3-2 road victory against Long Beach Jordan on Friday afternoon in a CIF Southern Section Division I quarterfinal match. St. Francis (16-5-4) will host a semifinal match Tuesday at Friedman Field against second-seeded Millikan, a 1-0 winner over West Torrance.

Erik Boal ARCADIA -- It was apparent from the beginning of Thursday's match, that Arcadia's road to a sixth straight Pacific League girls' soccer title wasn't going to be paved with yellow bricks. But as fourth-year Coach Shelby Elliott and her players learned, the smell of victory is that much sweeter when you're really forced to work for something. For the better part of 60 minutes, the Apaches looked as if they might be forced to share or even relinquish their coveted league championship, as Crescenta Valley was primed to play the role of spoiler at Arcadia's Civic Center Field.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — Here’s the mini-evaluation following the first week of the season concerning the Flintridge Prep girls’ soccer team: Two complete halves will be needed in order to be victorious. That’s the message first-year Flintridge Prep Coach Esteban Chavez tried to get across to the Rebels, who suffered a 2-1 nonleague loss to La Salle on Friday afternoon at the Glendale Sports Complex. Flintridge Prep (0-2) played well throughout the first half, but La Salle (2-0-1)

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE — For a season opener, the members of the Glendale High girls' soccer team showed some progress. With interim Coach Victor Aquino on board, the first part of the season will focus squarely on Aquino getting to know the strengths and weaknesses of his squad. Aquino got a better idea on Tuesday after Glendale battled visiting Alverno to a 2-2 home tie at Moyse Field. "It wasn't a bad effort, but we had opportunities that we should have put away," Aquino said.

PASADENA — Aris Yeghiazaryan couldn't have faced a more difficult set of circumstances Wednesday afternoon. Not that the Glendale High boys' soccer goalkeeper minded. For starters, Yeghiazaryan didn't appear until the beginning of the second half in a big Pacific League contest against host Muir. Then, he made his biggest save of the season. Yeghiazaryan stopped a penalty shot with 10 minutes remaining to preserve Glendale's 1-0 victory. Glendale (4-0-5, 2-0-3 in league for nine points)

PASADENA — With a look of surprise, Kaelin King darted toward the net and accomplished two things Friday afternoon. The Flintridge Prep girls' soccer player took advantage of being uncovered and scored into an empty net. She also helped the Rebels move closer to first place in the ever-tightening Prep League. "I just happened to be at the right place at the right time and it was meant to happen," said King, who helped spur Flintridge Prep to a 2-0 league road victory against rival Pasadena Poly on a sun-splashed field.

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE — All signs pointed to the Glendale High boys’ soccer team leapfrogging over Crescenta Valley in the Pacific League standings. Then, David Orozco made sure that jump wouldn’t occur. Orozco scored with less than two minutes left in the match to give visiting Crescenta Valley a 1-1 tie against rival Glendale in a league contest Wednesday afternoon at Moyse Field. Crescenta Valley improved to 6-3-5 and 4-1-4 in league for 12 points, while Glendale improved to 6-4-9 and 3-1-5 in league for 10 points.

Erik Boal The Crescenta Valley and Flintridge Prep girls' soccer teams scheduled Friday's nonleague match to prepare them for crucial stretches upcoming in their respective leagues. But as a result of a hard collision in the 51st minute between CV junior Rachael Rigamat and Rebel freshman goalkeeper Ayana Sumiyasu, two of the area's best players almost didn't survive to help their teams next week. Thanks to two second-half goals, CV defeated Flintridge Prep, 3-1, at the Glendale Sports Complex, but the result was almost of secondary concern for Falcon Coach Andrea Otero and Rebel Coach Tim Morphy after having to attend to their respective players, who were fortunate to survive the impact with just bruises.