Bishop Amat boys soccer leaves no doubt with rout of El Segundo in Division 1 semifinals

LA PUENTE — Bishop Amat boys soccer coach Steve Jimenez was concerned about a letdown Saturday following the team’s emotional sudden-death overtime victory over Del Rey League rival Cathedral in the CIF-SS playoffs Wednesday.

But those concerns disappeared quickly, as the Lancers took control early and earned a dominant 5-0 victory over visiting El Segundo in the Division 1 semifinals.

The victory sends Bishop Amat (27-2-1) to the Division 1 championship game, where it will take on Sultana, a 1-0 winner over Bonita in the other semifinal. The final will be played Friday or Saturday at site and time to be determined.

Energy wasn’t a concern. Bishop Amat packed its stands like a Friday night football game in the fall. There was even tailgating before the game, and the players fed off all of it.

Matthew Ibarra scored twice, in the 15th and 22nd minute, to stake Bishop Amat to a 2-0 lead, and it was off and running.

“Matthew being able to put those two balls away early certainly changed the dynamic of the game,” Jimenez said. “We were able to stay focused. They say a 2-0 lead is the worst score to have in soccer, especially at halftime. We told the boys the first five or 10 minutes of the second half you have to put it away and they did.”

The early goals helped relive some of the tension that Jimenez had.

“The boys, they showed up man,” Jimenez said. “They were mentally focused, and it was a concern of mine after that great match against Cathedral that they might still be on that high. But they proved me wrong. They stepped onto the field on Thursday for practice and they were zoned in and focused, and they understood the job is not finished.”

Ibarra’s first goal came after a defender let a ball slip away to his feet, and he buried it. The second goal came on a pass over the top from Angelo Cusaro, and he finished it.

“Early in the game we were just looking for chances, and the first one just fell to me,” Ibarra said. “The second one I saw the keeper come out and he backed up. I thought if I hit it right away it would catch him off, and luckily it went in.”

Ibarra felt the crowd was a result of what Amat has been building. The Lancers are the No. 2 seed and will be playing for the program’s first boys soccer title.

“It’s really a blessing,” Ibarra said. “What we’ve done here with (our coaches) and the support we’ve received is really amazing. It’s almost like repping a football game. We’ve really built a good community for this sport.”

The second half was more of the same. Sebastian Saucedo, who finished with a goal and assist, helped give the Lancers a 3-0 lead when he beat a defender down the right touchline and sent the ball over the middle for Jancarlo Hernandez, who headed home about as beautiful a finish as they come in the 42nd minute.

Saucedo made it 4-0 on a hustle play stealing a ball from an El Segundo defender who wasn’t expecting it, and finishing from close range in the 60th minute.

Rosario DeAgapito added the final goal in the closing minutes.

“We’re doing great, we’re doing amazing things and making history for our team,” Saucedo said. “We have to stay focused next week and put in hard practices and keep it going. The mindset is to give it our all. It’s all or nothing, kill or be killed.”