Serra, Woodside play to 1-1 draw

After a scoreless first half, both teams found the back of the net in the second, with Serra knotting the score in the final minute of regulation and both settling for a 1-1 draw amid a steady, albeit light, drizzle.

“I’m a little disappointed we didn’t score more goals,” said Serra head coach Mike Keller. “But I was pleased with the boys’ effort.”

Keller said before the game he was missing a handful of players. Woodside head coach Darrell Ringman, on the other hand, was as short-handed a team could be and still field a side.

Of his 25-member roster, Ringman said eight were available for Thursday’s match. Ringman was forced to bring up a pair of junior varsity players, while back-up goalkeeper, Callum Farrar, was forced to play the field to give the Wildcats the minimum 11 players on the field.

No substitutes for the Wildcats Thursday.

Ringman not pleased with the turnout.

“I released the schedule in August,” Ringman said. “Do we have a couple of injuries? Yes. Do we have a lot of people traveling? Yes.”

All that being said, it was Woodside (0-3-1) that had the better of it in the opening 40 minutes. After withstanding an early Serra attack in the opening minutes, the Wildcats quickly took control of the game. Attacking midfielder Jonny Fuentes Lopez got into the flow early and he teamed with Daniel Rubio and Justin Galvez to consistently penetrate the Padres’ defense. Fuentes Lopez sent a couple of dangerous through balls to quickly gain the Serra defense’s attention.

Midway through the half, Rubio had the best opportunity for Woodside. He received a ball 30 yards from goal on the left side of the penalty box. He cut across the top of the box, drawing four defenders with him. He eventually got off a shot, but it sailed high.

The Wildcats spent the bulk of the opening half pressuring the Serra defender, but led by Whitaker Tollman and Jacob Stancil, the Padres stood up the Woodside attack.

“We came out hard to start and they had a couple guys who stood up to that,” Keller said.

Woodside would out-shoot Serra (1-1-3) 5-3 in the opening 40 minutes, with both getting a pair of shots on goal.

Serra came out more determined offensively in the second half and the Padre’s pressure had the Wildcats on their heels. Nate Coughlin chased down a ball on the left flank and gained the end line before being dispossessed in the 44th minute.

Seven minutes later, Woodside’s Fuentes Lopez and JV call-up Damian Gonzalez linked up for a run into the Serra penalty box, but Gonzalez could not get a cross off along the end line.

In the 53rd minute, Woodside broke the seal on the scoreboard. Coming on a counter attack, Gonzalez chipped a ball into the middle of the Padres’ penalty box. Galvez got inside his defender and had a half step, just enough space to make a leaping stab at the ball, which he poked past the charging Serra goalkeeper and into the back of the net for a 1-0 Woodside lead.

“That goal came against the run of play,” Keller said.

For the next 26 minutes, Woodside clung to the lead, withstanding a number of Serra forays. The Padres had a couple of free kicks over the final 15 minutes, including one from 25 yards out, stationed on the left side of the box. But Dylan Joudieh’s shot sailed just inches over crossbar.

But with about a minute remaining in regular time, the Padres earned a penalty kick. Joudieh stepped up and confidently sent a low, hard shot to the left corner to tie the game at 1-all.

Rubio had a crack at a game-winner for Woodside in stoppage time, but his shot from 25 yards went high over the goal for the last real scoring chance of the game.

“I had low expectations coming into the game,” Ringman said, alluding to the patchwork lineup he put on the field. “They overachieved my expectations.

“We had a chance to close this out. … Those late goals are what we’re giving up often.”

Serra’s Keller was satisfied with the tie, especially since his team had to rally from a second-half deficit.

“I thought we played much better in the second half. I think the guys were just coming into the game more,” Keller said. “When you’re 1-0 down and 20 minutes left … to get a point is much better than the alternative.”

Editor's note: this story has been updated to show Damian Gonzalez had the assist on Woodside's goal.