Rams rally for title

But over the years, Rashid and the Rams have steadily moved up. Westmoor won Ocean Division titles in 1998 and 1999. The Rams added another title in 2003 and moved into the Bay Division last season where they finished fourth.

Wednesday, the last day of the regular season, the Rams completed their journey to the top. Westmoor's 3-3 tie with Sequoia at Gellert Park in Daly City gave the Rams at least a co-championship. Woodside's 5-1 win over El Camino gave both Westmoor and Woodside the same point total in the standings, but neither coach knew if a co-championship would be the outcome depending on any tiebreaking rules.

"I dedicate this to every Ocean team. (To all the teams in) the old North Peninsula League," Rashid said after his team rallied from a 3-2 deficit. "When we came to the south Peninsula, [teams] didn't think much of us. This lets [Ocean Division teams] know (winning a Bay championship) is a possibility.

"I'm the happiest man in Daly City."

Going into the final day of the Peninsula Athletic League play, Westmoor, Sequoia and Woodside were within three points of each other in the standings. A Westmoor win would have given the Rams the out-right title, a Sequoia win and a Woodside loss or tie would have given the Cherokees the championship. Woodside could have won the title with a win and a Westmoor loss.

With so many scenarios still in play, it was to every team's benefit to play their best and come away with win. Sequoia and Westmoor battled each other all season long so it was only appropriate that their match on the final day of the regular season was the game of the year. Westmoor (8-2-4 Bay Division, 12-3-4 overall) scored two goals in the opening 15 minutes only to see Sequoia (7-3-4, 12-5-4) rally with a goal late in the first half and two scores early in the second.

With about 15 minutes left to play, Westmoor scored the equalizer on a free kick. Both teams scrambled frenetically over the final minutes, with both teams getting several good chances to score, but neither could find the go-ahead goal.

"The last 15 minutes of the game, we gave up," said Sequoia coach Juan Rosales, who added that after scoring the third goal his team went into a defensive posture and stopped attacking the Westmoor goal.

"I didn't tell them to pull back," Rosales continued. "That's the mentality I've been trying to change all year."

Early on, it appeared Westmoor would turn the game into a rout. Eight minutes in, the Rams found the back of the net off a corner kick. Will Martinez sent the cross into the penalty box where he found Lizandro Ponce, whose sideways scissor kick has to be one of the top goals scored this season.

Three minutes later, the Rams struck again. Westmoor was putting heavy pressure on the Sequoia goal and the Cherokees were doing everything they could to clear the ball. Martinez picked off one clearing attempts and sent a through pass to Leo Renderos, who beat the Sequoia goalkeeper for a 2-0 Westmoor lead.

"We came out strong. I told the guys we have to put one in (early) and hope they cave in," Rashid said. "We put the second goal in and I wanted to celebrate.

"Then our midfield got as relaxed as I did."

Sequoia started the game tentative and had a hard time stringing passes together. Down 2-0, the Cherokees threw themselves at the Westmoor goal. One scramble in the box nearly resulted in a goal but about a minute later, Sequoia did find the back of the net. Jose Garcia ran onto a Thomas Loolf through ball behind the Westmoor defense and had no problem beating the goalkeeper to cut the lead in half.

"The first 15 minutes, we were [too focused] on the game," Rosales said. "I tell my players to enjoy the game. We weren't in a hurry. We had a lot of time left."

Sequoia tied the score at 2 minutes into the second half - barely. Luis Huerta's shot off a Garcia pass crossed the goalmouth and hit off the inside of the far left post and bounced back on to the field of play. The referee, however, ruled that the ball had crossed the goal line before hitting the post and awarded a goal to the Cherokees.

Less than 10 minutes later, Sequoia took a 3-2 advantage. Fredy Ramirez sent a corner kick to the near post that was flicked on Baltazar Ontiveros to Cesar Perez, who buried his shot.

The Cherokees, who had dominated up to that point, suddenly became passive and Westmoor took advantage. The Rams started pushing forward again and scored the equalizer when Efrain Burgos' bent a free kick around a three-man wall and off the goalkeeper's outstretched hand. Like Sequoia's second goal, the ball barely crossed over the goal line and was called a goal by the official.

"They did us a favor when they scored their third goal," Rashid said. "They started playing back and getting sloppy."

Woodside 5, El Camino 1

The Wildcats, who apparently stumbled with a three-game losing streak two weeks ago, finished off a three-game winning streak with the win over the Colts and put themselves in position to claim a Bay Division co-championship.

"We started off really strong and then we hit that period where we lost three in a row," said Woodside coach Johan Lyssand. "We showed composure in the last three games. We won three and we were lucky the teams in front of us didn't finish off the season, so to speak.

Jacob Rodrigues scored two goals and added an assist while Joseph Torres added a goal and an assist.

Hillsdale 5, South City 0

The Knights faced a must-win situation when they faced the Warriors Wednesday in South San Francisco.

After losing to Capuchino on Monday - Hillsdale's first league loss - the Knights needed a win Wednesday to clinch the Ocean Division title and the league's lone Central Coast Section berth.

No problem. Freshman Cristian Argueta recorded a hat trick and Marko Brekalo added two more goals as the Knights cruised to the win. It's the Knights' second Ocean Division championship in three years.

"The loss (Monday) wasn't that bad because we were undefeated for 15 games and the kids realized they can lose if they don't play the way they can," said Hillsdale coach Andy Hodzic. "I shook up the lineup. Today they were so dominant there was no question at all (we would win)."