Successful season ends with quarterfinal-round loss to No. 2 seed OMI
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ALAMEDA >> After forcing overtime, the Kelseyville High School boys soccer team fell 3-2 to No. 2 Oakland Military Institute in the quarterfinal round of the North Coast Section Division 2 playoffs Friday afternoon in Alameda.
The Knights close out a successful season at 15-7-3. They earned the No. 7 seed in the playoffs after claiming a share of the North Central League I title this season, a race that ended in a three-way tie between Kelseyville, Lower Lake and Fort Bragg. Kelseyville advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-0 home win Wednesday against Calistoga.
“There are truly no words to express how I feel for each and every one of my guys,” Kelseyville head coach Kc White said. “This is something that would have come to an end next week regardless of results, and I think I felt that sense of finality coming, but having it actually happen tonight is like experiencing a death to someone close to you.”
Added White, “It’s that difficult of an experience. I told them that it hurts this badly because we put ourselves in a position to expect bigger things. Without pressure and expectations, this feeling doesn’t exist. So, while it hurts now, we can appreciate the journey and the fight it took to get here.”
The transition from grass to an artificial surface took a bit of time for the Knights, and OMI took full advantage by scoring a goal in the seventh minute and another in the 24th minute to go up 2-0.
“However, just as we have done all season long, we fought back in the 29th minute,” White said.
Luis Alvarado sent a long ball to Jair Inostroza Carrillo, who ripped it into the net from 25 yards out.
“From that moment we were definitely the better team,” White said.
Trailing 2-1 at halftime, the Knights had the advantage of not having the sun in their faces in the second half.
Kelseyville finally pulled even when Sebastian Cacho crossed the ball to Carrillo in the 66th minute. Using his left foot, Carrillo boomed a kick into the net to tie the score.
“We continued to threaten to the end of regulation, including a Carrillo free kick that hit the crossbar, and another good shot by Cacho that went high,” White said.
OMI took advantage of a free kick in the overtime to snap the 2-2 tie and win the game.
“I’m going to miss this group of guys very much, my seniors especially,” White said. “I came in as the coach with eight of them when they were freshmen. They have grown into young men just about ready to head into adulthood.
“My job is to try to win games, but I understand that my job is so much more than that. My goal for every student that comes through my program is to instill a sense of respect for others and responsibility. If I have taught them the value of showing up on time, love for one another, etcetera, then I feel that I have done my job regardless of wins and losses,” White added.
“This is not the way we wanted the season to end, but I hope they can look back on this season with pride and the understanding that we left everything on the field today,” White said.