PHOTOS: Hemet ends Crean Lutheran’s hopes for regional title with two second half goals

Crean Lutheran players hold the regional runner-up trophy after Saturday’s match. (Photos courtesy Crean Lutheran Shutterbugs, Ted Rigoni, John Luciano and Howard Lyon).

Crean Lutheran High School’s girls soccer team had a season to remember, winning the first CIF title in the program’s history.

But the Saints, the CIF Southern Section Division 5 champions, were denied a chance to add one more title to their list of achievements in front of their home fans.

Hemet scored two goals in the second half, both by senior Bridget Arnold to defeat the Saints 2-0, in the CIF So Cal Division IV regional finals Saturday night, avenging a 1-0 loss to Crean Lutheran in the CIF Division 5 championship match on the same field a week earlier.

Crean Lutheran (21-4-3) had seven shutouts in the playoffs and a school record setting 17 going into the final.

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Both teams had scoring chances in the first half of the physical contest. Crean Lutheran goalkeeper Brooklynn Acevedo had several big saves to keep the match scoreless.

The Saints had chances in the second half, a few near-misses kept them for taking the lead before Hemet scored its first goal with 8:08 left in the contest. Then Hemet added an insurance goal a few minutes later.

“It’s hard because I thought we actually played better this game than last game, I thought we actually moved the ball much better than them, they’re a pretty direct team out of the back and we try to go more offensive and put more players up top to force some mistakes by them and it worked,” said Crean Lutheran Coach Stephen Jennings.

“We had three or four, maybe five really good opportunities to score and at the end of the day, we got to finish those chances. They finished their chances. All credit to them, they’re one of the hardest working teams we’ve played against all year. They battle and they’re physical. It was a really fun journey to be a part for these girls. I think each of us getting a championship, they deserve something out of their efforts as well.

“It’s never easy losing. It’s the first time we’ve lost since Jan. 27. But these girls have made history. These girls have created a tradition that will hopefully will continue in our program and I think they’ve established the foundation for future teams to live up to. This is an amazing group and still a very young group.”

Hemet players accepted the championship plaque and celebrated the title with their coaches.

“It feels great,” said Hemet co-head coach Craig Dwinnell who coaches the team with Steve Strutz. “We made it to CIF finals last year and lost and made it to (regional) state finals last year and lost. Then we made it to CIF finals this year and lost. This was my fifth final and I finally won one.

“We knew it would be a fight because we knew each other and it’s only been a week. It was a good game.”

Jennings, the Saints coach, credited the team’s seniors.

“They are amazing, they’ve put in so much time and effort this year, some of them for four years,” he said. “Girls like Hannah (Montford) and Sarah Dougherty, two four-year players and they’re leaders, and the captain Brooklynn (Acevedo) in the back, they’re just amazing girls. Even our sophomores, girls like Mary Kate Duberow, they wanted it. It’s hard because it didn’t go our way tonight, but I felt we really played well.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com