Crossroads News

Boys Varsity Soccer Wins Regional State Championship

Crossroads Roadrunners defeat Olympian Eagles 2-1.
A nine-game winning streak capped off the boys varsity soccer season this past Saturday when the team took on the Olympian Eagles at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern California Regional 2021 Boys Soccer Championships for Division V. With boisterous cheers from the Crossroads community, the Roadrunners secured a 2-1 victory over their competitors.
 
“Throughout our playoff run, we were faced with many difficult situations, but the boys never gave up and battled in every moment,” said Coach Federico Bianchi. “Nobody had an ego. Nobody complained about playing time. Everyone supported each other and cared about one thing: the team’s success.”
 
Crossroads triumphed over Cornerstone Christian 4-1 to become Southern Section champions on May 29. The Roadrunners then took on Whitney, winning 3-1, and defeated Sherman Oaks CES 2-0 in the semifinal to advance to the championship game.
 
After a scoreless first half of the final, sophomore Gus Koven netted the first goal with a header off of a throw-in. The Eagles soon responded, tying the game 1-1. But the Roadrunners persisted, and senior Henry Fisher scored the game-winning goal off a free kick.
 
“It was such a huge moment in the game, and he came through like he has all through the playoffs,” noted Federico. “I have never seen anyone jump as high as he did when he was celebrating.”
 
Crossroads’ boys soccer team won their last State Regional Championship in 2012. With the 2020-21 season delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the current team didn’t anticipate their ultimate success, as sophomore Hugo Guckert reflected: “None of us expected to win, and we would actually joke about winning CIF. It was really a surprise when we made it all the way to State and won. And it was a great feeling.”
 
Federico added: “After such a hard year, when nobody was able to be together, to see the community come together and all share this amazing moment was truly incredible.”
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