SALINAS — One more team dinner is on order in what has become a historic boys’ soccer season at Gonzales High, bringing together a community of support.
A season now more than five months old will end on Saturday when the Spartans play for the Northern California Division IV championship after shutting out Milpitas 2-0 Thursday at Rabobank.
“This does feel different,” Gonzales coach Miguel Vidauri said. “These kids continue to make history. Yet, they have this mentality that it’s just another game. … The kids are playing for something that’s never been done before.”
Gonzales High’s Ulisses Mancillas takes a shot against Milpitas during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Owners of 13 straight wins, the top-seeded Spartans (20-3-2) will face No. 3 Roseland University Prep — 1-0 winners over Chico — in the title game at 5 p.m. at Rabobank.
Champions of the Northern Section, the Knights – who are based in Santa Rosa – are 16-4-2, having won their past six matches, shutting out three of their past four opponents.
“They know what’s at stake,” Vidauri said. “But these kids have been very relaxed. We’ll have a team dinner and forget about soccer for a little bit. This is a very united group. I’m sure there will be some emotion when it’s over.”
Scoreless at the half, Vidauri felt good about where the Spartans were, if for no other reason than they’ve been a second half team all season, rebounding from a 1-0 loss last Tuesday to advance to the semifinals.
“I just kind of gave the same speech,” Vidauri said. “Winners find a way to win. All wins count, even the ugly ones. I didn’t feel any sense of danger. We had the majority of the balls. I just said let’s get that first goal and another will fall.”
Gonzales High’s Ulisses Mancillas (#20) celebrates his goal with his teammates against visiting Milpitas during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Gonzales High’s Sebastian Ramirez goes high for a header against visiting Milpitas during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional boys soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Gonzales High’s Jose Camacho tries to avoid a slide tackle by Gonzalo Merino Sanchez of Milpitas during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional boys soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Gonzales High’s Edgar Santiago, right, and Jerrel Phan from Milpitas chase down a loose ball during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional boys soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Gonzales High’s Ulisses Mancillas competes for the ball against Jason Aguiar of Milpitas during the CIF D-IV NorCal soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Gonzales High’s Matthew Arreola heads the ball against Ryan Chu of Milpitas in the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional boys soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Milpitas High goalkeeper Aryan Banjara heads the ball as Gonzales’ Ulisses Mancillas watches during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional boys soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Gonzales High goalkeeper Luis Cabada makes a save against visiting Milpitas’ during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional boys soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Gonzales High’s Omar Gonzalez and Ryan Chu of Milipitas fight for position during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional boys soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Gonzales High’s Ulisses Mancillas fights for a loose ball against Guillermo Munguia Ruiz of Milpitas during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional boys soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
Gonzales High’s Kevin Tavarez dribbles by Gonzalo Merino Sanchez of Milpitas during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional boys soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
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Gonzales High’s Ulisses Mancillas (#20) celebrates his goal with his teammates against visiting Milpitas during the CIF D-IV NorCal Regional soccer semifinals at Rabobank Stadium on Thursday. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)
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Which is exactly what occurred when Ulisses Mancillas produced his third goal in the tournament on an assist from Jose Camacho to stake the Spartans to a 1-0 cushion.
Moments later, Jorge Uribe took an assist from Luis Benavides and knocked in his team leading 26th goal of the season. Just once during Gonzales’ 13-game winning streak has it allowed more than one goal in a match.
“I did feel one goal would hold up,” Vidauri said.
Goalie Luis Cabada was solid between the pipes with nine saves in recording his eighth shutout of the season.
“We’ll look at whatever film we can find,” Vidauri said. “At this point, it doesn’t really matter who is next. These kids live and breathe soccer. We believe we can play with anyone.”
