In a thrilling and physical battle for the Orange Empire Conference soccer championship, Fullerton College edged out Santa Ana College with a 0-0 draw on Wednesday night. Both teams showed resilience and skill throughout the match, but Fullerton’s defense and key moments in the second half got it done.
The game kicked off with both teams establishing their presence. Santa Ana’s goalkeeper, freshman Nicolas Max Guerrero, made some strong saves, while Fullerton’s freshman goalkeeper Steven Martinez also stood tall between the posts.
The first significant moment came in the 2nd minute, when sophomore Dons defender Elijah Lozano was shown a yellow card for a foul. Fullerton quickly responded with a header shot by freshman midfielder Jacob Ponce, but it was a little high. Santa Ana’s Miguel Gonzalez was a central figure for his team. Having multiple close shots but none connecting.
The game took a more physical turn as the half went on, with yellow cards issued to Santa Ana sophomore midfielder Edwin Flores and Fullerton’s Jacob Ponce (freshman midfielder) as well as a team yellow card to Fullerton for unsporting behavior.
The second half started with Santa Ana looking to seize control, but Fullerton’s defense and disciplined play were on display once again. As the game progressed both teams continued to exchange shots, with the best chances coming from Fullerton’s Jair Vargas and Santa Ana’s Miguel Gonzalez, whose shots just couldn’t seem to sneak in.
A big moment came when the Dons freshman midfielder Randy Castillo took a corner kick, but Fullerton’s defense cleared the ball away. With the clock winding down, Fullerton made a series of strategic substitutions that seemed to give them enough juice to stop the rest of Santa Ana’s attacks and hold on to a hard-fought 0-0 draw. The match was marked by intense defensive play, with both teams having their fair share of chances. The Hornets goalkeeper Martinez earned the shutout, while Santa Ana freshman goalkeeper Nicolas Guerrero made several key saves in a great effort.
With this draw, Fullerton claimed the best record (13-3-4) earning the 2024 Orange Empire Conference Championship, capping off an impressive season.
Fullerton’s manager Greg Aviles gave a statement after the game “Just feeling blessed man, all glory to god. I’m just thankful for the path he has provided for us. This is a historic rivalry going back many years and we knew we had to come out here and be out best selves.”
Fullerton will now be playing for the hopes of winning a state championship. Their next contest is Tuesday Nov. 12 at Golden West College.
