SD Prep Sports: Roller Hockey

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Not too many fans may have given the Vikings much chance in their first-ever playoff appearance in CIF/Metro Conference play but for two periods, the Eastlake Titans found themselves in a hotly contested game.

"La Jolla played an outstanding game. They were really a tough opponent tonight. Our guys maybe underestimated them, we looking past them at Castle Park, but they played outstanding," Eastlake coach Jeff Mechling said.

The Vikings held a 2-1 lead after the opening period, with Jamie Huntley and Jacob Glover netting goals. La Jolla trailed 3-2 until Scott Powers gave the Titans some much needed breathing room on a goal with 1:32 to play in the second period.

"We played them straight up for two periods," La Jolla assistant coach Don Cerone said. "We didn’t give them anything cheap."

Senior captain Chad McElroy leveled the score at a goal apiece, assisted by Powers, but it would take nearly a period to punch in the go-ahead goal. Victor Mancillas tied the game for Eastlake with 4:27 elapsed in the second period on a shot that rebounded behind LJ goalie Chris Granillo for an easy tap-in. Powers had led the rush down court and slid a centering pass to Daniel nafarrette.

Mancillas gave the Titans the lead again with 4:14 to go in the middle period and Powers added a goal in the dying seconds of the period to put Eastlake up by two goals, 4-2.

It was then the Vikings’ turn to put away some offensive chances in front of Eastlake’s Dusitn Tewilliager as Huntley scored her second goal of the game with 2:16 gone in the final period to narrow the score to 4-3. But the Titans wasted little time in matching the goal as Mancillas completed his hat trick less than two minutes later. Skating with renewed confidence, Eastlake upped its lead to 6-3 on a goal by Justin Rodriguez with 8:08 to play in the period. But once again, La Jolla refused to fold, adding a goal just under a minute later to trim the Titan lead to 6-4.

But Eastlake put the game away with a pair of unanswered goals in the final 5:34 – one each by Powers and Rodriguez.

Mancillas had entered the playoffs with 11 goals and six assists to his credit. "Victor and Daniel … They’ve really formed a solid second line for us. They seem to play well together," Mechling said.

But the team’s regular season scoring leader provided a presence on the court as Powers finished the game with two goals and three assists. Freshman Zack McElroy contributed three assists.

Huntley led the Vikings with three goals and one assist while Glover had a goal and two assists. Regular season scoring leader Cameron Cerone was held scoreless in the game, though not for a lack of hard shooting.

La Jolla ends its first season of CIF/Metro Conference play 10-10-1. The win pushes Eastlake (17-4-0) into Tuesday’s semifinal encounter against second-seeded Castle Park (16-4-0). The Titans are winless in two meetings this season against the Trojans, dropping contests by 6-5 and 8-3 scores.

"We’re going to have to play much better tomorrow against Castle Park," Mechling said.

James Arakaki scored 25 seconds into overtime as Bonita Vista outlasted Mar Vista in a game that saw both teams exchange leads in regulation time.

Eric Enciso fed the puck to Arakai, the Metro’s regular season scoring champion with 77 goals and 32 assists, for the game-winner.

BV senior Chi Hom had sent the game into overtime on a goal with 4:16 left in the third period. Arakaki had drawn the assist on that goal.

Mar Vista, which was making its first trip to the top level Kiwanis Cup tournament, battled back from a 2-0 first period deficit to take leads of 4-3 and 5-4. Trevor Stutzman’s hat trick goal had given the Mariners a 5-4 lead with 6:26 to play in regulation.

"That’s about as close as they get. My team played with more heart than I had seen any team play with. They played with their heads and their hearts," Mar Vista coach Ron Cole said. "To me, this game came down to a bounce of the puck. I couldn’t have asked any more from my team. They should be proud of themselves for the way they played tonight and throughout the whole season."

Arakaki finished the game with two goals and two assists while the Barons (14-6-1) received a goal and assist from four players: Willy Anderson, Blake Tanner, Enciso and Hom.

Stutzman, a junior, had an assist to go with his hat trick while freshman sensation Ian Nicklen contributed two goals and two assists. Freshman Jeremy Tanaka had the other assist in the game for Mar Vista.

Bonita Vista advances to face top-seeded Scripps Ranch (20-0-0) Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

Both semifinals games are at Skate San Diego in National City.