PHOTOS: Servite players and coaches savor CIF Division 1 boys soccer championship

Servite players show their CIF Division 1 boys soccer championship trophy to fans after defeating Loyola, 2-1, Saturday at Warren High School. (Photos courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone)

When Servite High won the CIF Division 1 boys soccer title in 2015, Friar coach Jon Spencer could have been forgiven if he thought “I could get used to this.”

To see the slide show, please click on the first photo

Servite players pose for a team photo after beating Loyola, 2-1, Saturday to win the CIF Division 1 boys soccer title.

Servite's Ernesto Garcia (20) runs to embrace teammate Dean Hirsch (2) after Hirsch converted Garcia's pass into the winning goal.

Loyola players celebrate a goal by Liam Hook during Saturday's CIF Division 1 title game at Warren High School.

Servite's Uriel Sanchez (10) celebrates penalty kick goal with teammates Lex Leatham (17, Xavier Pineda (5) and Issac Wolf (12).

Servite goal keeper Dean Mitzner punches the ball away from Loyola attacker Liam Hook (13).

Loyola's Grayson Doody (11) and Servite's Lex Leattham compete for the ball during Saturday's CIF Division 1 boys soccer title match.

Loyola's Will Valentine (12) drives against Servite defender Uriel Sanchez (10).

Loyola's Malcolm Hawkins is airborne after being clicked by Servite defender Royce Obnamia.

Servite's Denzr Barrientos (9) drives against the defense of Loyola's Eric Arreola (16).

Servite's Uriel Sanchez (10) competes for the ball with Loyola standout Grayson Doody (1).

Servite's rowdy student section celebrates the go-ahead goal by Dean Hirsch Saturday in the CIF Division 1 boys soccer title game with Loyola.

Servite goal keeper David Mitzner celebrates the Friars' CIF title game victory with teammate Jake Quezeda.

Servite coach Jon Spencer instructs his team late in Saturday's 2-1 win over Loyola in the CIF Division ! boys soccer title match at Warren High School.

That’s when reality set in. Four years of it, when talented Friar teams never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.

“To win this is brutally hard,” he said, after Servite edged Loyola 2-1 Saturday at Warren High in Downey to end its title drought.

“Division 1 is as tough as it has ever been and I certainly appreciate it more now,” Spencer said of the second CIF title in his eight-year Servite tenure.

With a senior-laden team acutely aware of the frustrations of recent seasons, Spencer and his team had prepared for Saturday’s opportunity all season long.

“We played the hardest schedule in all of CIF this year, hands down, and we did it to prepare our team to be able to play in these games,” Spencer said.

“And we pressed our senior leadership, and they responded.”

In a grand way, at the perfect time. Senior goal keeper David Mitzner limited a potent Loyola offense (the Lions were ranked No. 2 in the state) to one goal while recording seven saves, including several of the spectacular value.

Servite scored first in the 24^th minute when senior Uriel Sanchez scored on a penalty kick after Jesus Melgoza was fouled in the box.

Loyola counted for a tie on a goal by Liam Hook in the 46^th minute before Dean Hirsch benefited from a perfect pass from Ernesto Garcia in the 66^th minute to secure the victory.

Servite has been seeded first in Division 1 of the Southern California Regionals and will play at No. 8 seed Cathederal Catholic of San Diego Tuesday at 4 p.m. Loyola has been seeded third in the same tournament and will face No. 6 seed Del Notre, also Tuesday at 4 p.m. 

-Courtesy Jim McCormack for OC Sports Zone