Boys’ soccer team to battle Santa Barbara in South Torrance Tournament

Photo by George Laase WINNING—Senior forward, Nick Mallahi controlls a throw-in. Culver went on to shutout Inglewood 3-0. At 4-1-1, the Centaurs, are a half a game back of Lawndale in the pre-season Ocean League standings. The Centaurs are coming off of

 

The Culver City boys’ varsity soccer team will travel to Torrance on Friday to take on a good Santa Barbara team in the South Torrance Tournament. The 4-1-1 Centaurs will play a 5-1-1 Santa Barbara team at 6 p.m. in a game that should produce top-level high school soccer play.

The Centaurs are coming off of two impressive victories last week and this week. Last Saturday Culver City beat Reseda 5-0. After a scoreless first half the Centaurs started scoring early in the second half when junior Omar Reyes connected on the first goal.

A few minutes later junior Lucas Lezcano made a strong move past two defenders and found the back of the net for another goal.

The next three goals were delivered from an unlikely source, Co-captain and goalkeeper Nico Melendez.

Midway through the second half head coach Louie Espeleta inserted Melendez as a forward and he was able to score three goals before the end of the game. The first two goals were helped by two terrific assists by junior Maaten Hessling.

Melendez is continuing the family tradition of Centaurs’ athletes. His father, Eddie played football and volleyball in the early 1980s, his aunt Annette Melendez ran track in the late 1980s and two of his cousins also played soccer and football at Culver City High School.

Last Tuesday the Centaurs beat Inglewood 3-0, in a game that featured good passing and several outstanding plays in wet and cold weather.