Merced Sun-Star Logo

Shootout magic lifts Bears to win | Merced Sun-Star

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Archives
    • Newsletters
    • Buy Photo
    • FAQ

    • All News
    • Local News
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Education
    • UC Merced
    • California News
    • Nation/World
    • Communities
    • Atwater
    • Chowchilla
    • Livingston
    • Los Banos
    • Mariposa & Yosemite
    • All Sports
    • High Schools
    • High School Athletes
    • High School Football
    • Merced College
    • UC Merced
    • Outdoors
    • NFL
    • NBA
    • MLB
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The California Influencer Series
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • All Living
    • Celebrations
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Family
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Brigitte Bowers
    • Debbie Croft
    • Sarah Lim
    • Old Trainer
    • All Entertainment
    • Celebrations
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • All Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Submit a Letter
    • Obituaries
    • View Obituaries
    • Place Obituaries

    • dealsaver
    • Circulars
    • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ad
    • Pets
    • Garage Sales
    • Real Estate
    • Apartment and Rentals
    • Jobs
    • RVs/Motorhomes
    • Merchandise
    • Service Directory
    • Place an Ad
    • Place Celebration
    • Place Obituary Ad
    • Place Classified Ad
    • Place Legal Ad
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • See Legal Notices
  • Mobile & Apps

State

Shootout magic lifts Bears to win

By James Burns

Merced Sun-Star

    ORDER REPRINT →

November 13, 2008 02:33 AM

STOCKTON -- The original was a smash hit, chock full of action, drama and suspense. The sequel was a bore.

Merced-Pitman III? Nothing short of an epic.

After 100 minutes of soccer and seven penalty kicks at Lincoln High, the Sac-Joaquin Section's South bracket finally has its title contender.

Merced cashed in on all four of its shots in the shootout and goalie Junior Estrada came up with a big stop on Pitman's first shot to help Merced win 2-1 and send the Bears into Saturday's Division I title game for the first time in program history.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Merced Sun-Star

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Merced won the shootout 4-1 after 80 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtimes left the game tied 1-1.

Manuel Garcia-Resendez clinched the victory with a hard shot inside the left corner, triggering a wild celebration in the penalty box.

Saturday, Merced will play the winner of today's North bracket semifinal between Jesuit and Davis-Yolo.

"We made it," Garcia-Resendez shouted after emerging from a dogpile. "The first game (Pitman) beat us and then we beat them. It was only fair that the third game had to be a tie and had to go to penalty kicks. Pitman is a good team. They played their hearts out. Either way the (Central California Conference) is going to represent."

Merced's only hope was to somehow extend the game to a penalty kick shootout.

Bart McAfee's boys were gassed, and his top two players -- strikers Octavio Murillo and Cristian Alvarez -- battled cramps throughout.

"When we got into overtime, I told my brother that our only chance was to get to penalty kicks, " McAfee said. "We were spent."

Merced (21-1-2) didn't waste its opportunity.

Hector Berber opened the shootout with a low line drive inside the right post, setting the stage for Estrada's heroics on Pitman's first attempt.

The first-year goalie said he read the eyes of Pride sweeper Dillon Thomas just before his shot. Estrada's intuition was spot-on. He ranged to his right, landing on top of the ball to give Merced the early advantage.

"We made eye contact," said Estrada, his voice shaky from the adrenaline. "I know if a guy looks one direction, he's probably going to shoot it the other way."

The stop changed a match the Pride (16-7-4) clearly dominated after halftime.

Pitman shanked its second penalty kick over the top of the goal, while Merced kept a beat on the back of the net.

Alvarez, Eddie Cuevas and Garcia-Resendez all scored on their attempts to clinch a berth in the title match.

The match got off to a sloppy start. Both teams' ball-control offenses were neutralized by a wet, slick pitch.

The slick conditions actually gifted Merced a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute. Cuevas' cornerkick skipped off a Pitman defender at the front post and into the goal.

Pitman answered four minutes into the second half on a cornerkick of its own.

Jose Ban curled a cross into the box, where Eduardo Mezas redirected it into the back of the net.

  Comments  

Videos

Learn about the bill that would remove speed limits on I-5 and Highway 99

Check out this entire wine appellation for sale near Ukiah at $3.3 million

View More Video

Trending Stories

Merced man to face trial in Loughborough murder case, second suspect still at large

February 22, 2019 04:52 PM

Merced man’s murder charge dropped in 2007 cold case, after witness deemed not credible

February 22, 2019 04:21 PM

Motorist dies in north Modesto after swerving to avoid cat

February 22, 2019 10:21 AM

Longtime Mariposa coach leads team to first section title game in his final season.

February 22, 2019 02:19 PM

California’s own Autobahn? Valley reps have mixed reaction to no speed limit on Highway 99

February 22, 2019 03:24 PM

Read Next

See where California teachers have the toughest time paying rent, mortgage

California

See where California teachers have the toughest time paying rent, mortgage

By Phillip Reese

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 23, 2019 02:00 AM

California is suffering a persistent teacher shortage. One reason: As home prices rise, teachers in California struggle to afford to live in many of the areas where they work. This is especially true in San Francisco, San Mateo, Los Angeles, Contra Costa and other coastal areas.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Merced Sun-Star

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE STATE

‘Beale Street’ tops Spirit Awards, Close wins best actress

Entertainment

‘Beale Street’ tops Spirit Awards, Close wins best actress

February 23, 2019 05:52 PM
Tide halts search for San Francisco beach landslide victim

California

Tide halts search for San Francisco beach landslide victim

February 23, 2019 03:40 PM

Business

Utility cancels $130 million in worker performance bonuses

February 23, 2019 02:44 PM

National Politics

BC-CA--California News Digest 1:30 pm, CA

February 23, 2019 01:47 PM
Sen. Feinstein debates children over climate change

National Politics

Sen. Feinstein debates children over climate change

February 23, 2019 11:51 AM
AP FACT CHECK: Undocumented GOP, Dem rhetoric on immigration

News

AP FACT CHECK: Undocumented GOP, Dem rhetoric on immigration

February 23, 2019 07:58 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Merced Sun-Star App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Advertising Information
  • Place Obituary, Celebration
  • Place Classified, Legal
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story