SoCAL BOYS: No. 25 Foothill-OC Drops Corona del Mar, Stays Unbeaten

By Kevin Brereton
WSL California Correspondent

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Junior middie John Duddridge and junior attackman Riley Hales each scored three goals and added one assist to lead undefeated No. 25 Foothill-Orange County to a 12-9 victory over Corona del Mar in a CIF-Southern Section game Friday afternoon.

Junior attackman Trent Jones scored once and added two assists, and junior middies Tyler Brown and David Rudge each scored twice for the Knights (8-0), who won their eighth straight.

"We wanted to come out and try our best," Duddridge said. "Whatever happens, happens. I don't think we played that great, but we put the balls in the net."

In a losing effort, freshman attackman Ryan Mix scored four goals, sophomore middie Noah Molnar scored twice and added one assist, sophomore attackman Dave Kidushim scored twice and junior attackman Mike Kidushim scored once and dished one assist for the Sea Kings (5-3), who lost their second straight.

Both teams battled through a scoreless opening seven minutes before Foothill scored twice to take a 2-0 lead. With 2:39 left in the first quarter, Dave Kidushim was crushed by Foothill goalie Sam Goings, but he still held the ball and managed to bounce it into the cage to bring the Sea Kings back within a goal at the end of the first quarter.

Corona del Mar held a three-minute, non-releaseable, man-up advantage because of an illegal stick penalty at the start of the second quarter and scored three goals to take the lead at 4-3. Both teams exchanged goals before the end of the first half to make the score 5-4 for Corona del Mar.

Foothill fully dominated the third quarter and went on a six-goal run to take a 10-5 lead and completely shut down Corona del Mar.

"We came out super slow in the beginning," Duddridge said. "Third quarter, we finally started finding our rhythm."

The Sea Kings score three unanswered to start the fourth quarter and close within 10-8 with 5:51 left. Foothill regained a safe lead with two goals before Mike Kidushim scored Corona del Mar's sixth man-up goal, and its final goal of the game.

"I think our nerves got to us a little bit," Mix said. "But then we stepped it up. We have a lot to work on."