Lions primed to take care of unfinished business in CIF playoffs

SPLIT THE DEFENSE—OCHS junior Harrison Hill breaks past a pair of Marshall Fundamental defenders during the Lions’ 3-0 win. JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers On Monday afternoon at Thorson Stadium, the Oaks Christian boys’ soccer team showed Marshall Fundamental the fundamentals of high-quality soccer.

Behind a pair of goals from senior Matthew Morrissette and another score from junior Harrison Hill, the Lions rolled the visitors from Pasadena, 3-0, in a contest that was physical throughout.

Morrissette, an All-CIF defender a year ago, came within a struck post of logging a hat trick. He’s now scored 11 goals in his last four games, according to Oaks Christian head coach Sebastian Alvarado.

“He’s stepped it up big time for us offensively,” Alvarado said.

Hill lobbed a one-on-none breakaway shot just over the crossbar late in the first half. Suffice it to say, the final score could’ve been much worse for Marshall Fundamental.

“At least we won,” Morrissette said following the win. “It would’ve been nice to score (another goal), but it’s alright.”

Morrissette said his team’s performance Monday was indicative of the way they’ve been playing in recent weeks.

“We’ve been picking it up better and better every game,” Morrissette said. “Everyone’s playing really well, even when people are getting hurt. We’ve had a lot of injuries, but everyone’s really just playing for each other and we’re doing well.”

Before the season started, OCHS lost a pair of its finest players to injuries—Brett Taylor and J.P. Herold.

Alvarado said Taylor is expected to return in time for the CIF-SS Division V playoffs.

“Brett coming out will give us a humongous lift,” Alvarado said. “He’s a goal scorer and a good player.”

Sophomore Louis Vozzo was helped off the field during the first half of Monday’s game after suffering what Alvarado classified as a concussion. Alvarado said Vozzo will likely miss at least a week.

Despite being ranked near the top of the Division V coaches’ poll for much of the year, Oaks Christian (14-3-1, 5-1-1 in league) won’t enter the postseason as Frontier League champions.

That honor goes to Nordhoff, who recently defeated the Lions at home to secure the league title. The loss dropped OCHS from No. 2 to No. 7 in the coaches’ poll, and sent Nordhoff from being unranked to No. 4 in the division.

Nevertheless, Alvarado said his squad continues to play well and looks to be in good shape to make a deep run during the playoffs.

“I think they’re excited. I think they’re playing well,” Alvarado said. “We’ve always had good chemistry here. And right now there’s a good group of seniors that have bonded with the sophomores and everybody else. I think we’re looking good.”

OCHS senior Andrew Venardi, a four-year letterman, said the current crop of Lions hope to take their playoff journey one step further than last season when they lost to Mountain View in the CIF championship game.

“Get back,” Venardi said. “We want to get back to where we were.”

Oaks Christian closes out the regular season today on the road against Santa Paula. Kickoff is slated for 5:15 p.m.