Crystal falls short in first CCS final

It proved to be big moment as the Gryphons scrambled to tie the score to send the game into overtime, where Milpitas prevailed 5-3 in penalty kicks to win the CCS Division V title at Sequoia High School Saturday night.

“In PKs, it’s anyone’s game,” said Crystal head coach Roberto Miranda. “Even going into PKs we felt confident.”

Going second, Crystal (16-3-4) answered Milpitas’ first PK conversion, but fell behind when the Gryphons’ No. 2 shooter had his shot saved by Trojans goalkeeper Aryan Banjara, who played the first half, but sat out the second half and 2o minutes of overtime before being reinserted for the shootout.

Milpitas would go on to convert all five of its chances, with Luqman Abas scoring the game winner, making the Gryphons’ fifth attempt unnecessary.

The fact Crystal even got to a shootout shows just how far this program has come. Not only did the Gryphons qualify for the CCS tournament for the first time, they advanced to the championship game.

But they found themselves almost immediately trailing. Milpitas (11-3-7) came out flying to start the game. The Trojans’ bid for a quick goal came in the seventh minute as Sergio Salamanca’s shot was pushed wide by Crystal goalkeeper Elie Bodner.

A minute later, the Trojans earned a corner kick, with Ivan Santillan Yepez sending a cross into the penalty box. Following a scrum, the referee blew his whistle and after some discussion, awarded a penalty kick that Jesse Robles converted for a 1-0 Milpitas lead less than 10 minutes into the game.

“That was an unfortunate PK,” Miranda said.

But from about the 20-mark to the end of regulation, Crystal controlled the game and in the second half, dominated Milpitas.

“Very shaky start,” Miranda said. “Reminded me of the El Camino game.”

That first-round game the previous week saw the Gryphons have a similar slow start before growing into the game and winning 1-0 with a goal in overtime.

Saturday, however, the Gryphons found themselves playing from behind for the first time in the playoffs and they responded splendidly. In the 30th minute, Dante Martin’s shot from 25 was just wide of goal. They earned a free kick from midfield in first-half stoppage time, but Evan Collins’ bid for a goal was denied on a Banjara kick save as Milpitas clung to a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Despite the deficit, Miranda was confident a goal was coming for his squad.

“Absolutely,” Miranda said. “Even when we got scored on, I knew it was inevitable we would score. At halftime I told them, ‘I believe. Do you?’”

In the second half, Crystal poured on the pressure. In the 47th minute, Martin made a run down the right flank, only to see his shot attempt clang off the post. In the 52nd minute, a Kristian Bisgaard shot sailed just high.

But in the 56th minute, the Gryphons tied the score off a corner kick. Collins sent a cross to the middle of the Milpitas penalty box that found the head of Jimmy Naylor, who nodded it home to tie the game at 1-all.

Crystal had a number of other close calls over remainder of the half, getting off eight shots, four of which were on goal. But Milpitas’ second-half goalkeeper, Ricardo Miramontes Acosta, managed to deny the Gryphons, despite being under constant duress.

Crystal managed two shots, including one on goal in the two, 10-minute overtime periods, but neither team could solve the other’s defense and the game went to a shootout.

Despite the loss, Miranda was nothing but pleased with his team’s effort.

“There is no feeling of disappointment on my part. They kept going. They didn’t give up,” Miranda said of his squad. “We put Crystal (boys’ soccer) on the map. I couldn’t be happier or more proud of this team.”