Santa Ana soccer team defeats Calvary Chapel 9-0 to remain undefeated in Orange Coast League play

Calvary Chapel halfback Sterling Hull contends for a loose ball against Santa Ana’s midfielder Diego Anaya. The junior finished the game with a hat-trick for the Saints.

After the game against Saddleback got called off Wednesday, Santa Ana’s boys soccer team had not played a league game since its 2-2 road draw against Estancia on Jan. 4.

The Saints  (currently ranked 23rd in the state) certainly didn’t  look rusty and wasted no time on Friday as they defeated Calvary Chapel 9-0. They led from the very first minute of the game played at Santa Ana Stadium.

Santa Ana's midfielder Diego Anaya celebrates with teammate Paul Carrillo after a scoring a goal. Anaya finished the game with a hat-trick.

Midfielder Diego Anaya was the Saints' leading scorer in the 9-0 win over Calvary Chapel.

The Saints defense withstood the pressure and kept the clean sheet.

Santa Ana's Diego Anaya battles for a loose ball against Calvary Chapel's Sterling Hull.

Manny Berumen was a constant threat on the flanks for the Calvary Chapel Eagles.

Saints co-captain Edgar Canela goes on a breakaway with the pressure from Calvary Chapel's Isai Navarrete.

Saints defender Christian Saldivar looks upfield before delivering a cross.

Calvary Chapel's Richie Rodriguez shields the ball away from Santa Ana's Mark Sánchez.

Calvary Chapel's Isai Navarrete attempts an overhead kick with two Santa Ana players applying pressure.

The Santa Ana offense adds pressure to Calvary Chapel's defense during the first half of Friday's Orange Coast League game played in Santa Ana Stadium.

It took midfielder Diego Anaya less than 15 seconds to put his team ahead and never looked back in way to their second Orange Coast League victory of the season.

Santa Ana (14-4-2, 2-0-1) was dangerous on the flanks and capitalized on transitions that left Calvary Chapel (0-5-1, 0-3-1) exposed.

While the home team tried elaborated plays, the Eagles attempted long balls to try to put pressure on Santa Ana’s net, but the Saints defense rose to the occasion to clear the danger away from their defensive zone.

Anaya would go on to score a hat-trick before halftime, as his team was clinical on the opposing net.

Calvary Chapel rotated both of their goalkeepers in the roster to try to find a response to the incisive attack from Santa Ana who missed a penalty kick when Sergio Ibarra hit the post on his shot. The home team would also miss about another half dozen chances, but still managed to take a comfortable 5-0 lead to the break.

The Saints ended up taking a 5-0 lead to halftime, and after an intense pep talk from CoachJoe Peñaflor at the break were able to tally on another four goals in the second half.

The other Santa Ana goals scorers were Edgar Canela (two) and Paul Carrillo, Abdi Díaz, Juan Castillo and Joel Espejo.

“Today we executed well and hopefully that confidence will carry over to next week,” said Coach Peñaflor said and elaborated that there are still improvements to be made for the remaining schedule. “We feel like we can compete with anyone in league and CIF. We have to be more consistent if we want to win league or CIF championship. We try to focus one game at a time. Doing the right things in practice and bringing it to the game.”

Up next for Santa Ana is league and longtime crosstown rival Saddleback on Monday Jan. 14. The game was rescheduled from last Wednesday because of a lighting conflicts in the Roadrunners’ playing facility.

Meanwhile, Calvary Chapel will play on Jan. 16 on the road against Estancia.

In other scores around the Orange Coast League, Estancia beat Orange 4-2 on the road, while hosts Saddleback defeated Costa Mesa 1-0.

— Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone