Boys’ soccer exits CCS quarterfinals in dramatic penalty shootout

Theo Au-Yeung, Staff ReporterFebruary 22, 2023Leave a Comment

  • Junior Midfielder Altai Ordubadi dribbles away from a defender while being pulled back in Los Altos’s half.

    Jake Rothstein
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  • Senior Left Back Jose Henrique Amorim flies up the left flank on an attack.

    Jake Rothstein
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  • Senior Calvin Wagner scores the last minute equalizing goal.

    Jake Rothstein
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  • Burlingame huddles together after the final whistle in preparation for penalty kicks, which they would ultimately lose 5-4.

    Jake Rothstein
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Boys’ varsity soccer’s season came to a heartbreaking end in the quarterfinals of the CCS (Central Coast Section) Division III tournament, falling to Los Altos High School 5-4 in penalties after a 2-2 draw. 

The Panthers entered the tournament as the No. 3 following a second-place finish in the PAL Bay Division with a 5-1-4 record. That allowed them to host the No. 6 seed Wildcats at home on Saturday, Feb. 18.  

Burlingame got off to a hot start in the opening minutes. They strung together long spells of possession, connecting passes and developing attacking chances. 

The Panthers struck the first blow eight minutes in, as senior striker Sean O’Grady scored a header off a free kick from senior center back Dominic Dimech. 

“We felt really good having scored that first goal, it was a great start to get off to,” O’Grady said. “It gave us a lot of confidence, especially how the game was going up to that point.”

Junior Midfielder Altai Ordubadi dribbles away from a defender while being pulled back in Los Altos’s half.

Though that would be the only goal in the half, it remained a very close match, with both teams having plenty of scoring opportunities. 

In the first half, the Panthers struck early again. However, this time Los Altos struck back, scoring 10 minutes after the second-half restart. 

Then came another shock for the Panthers: The Eagles scored yet again 10 minutes later. 

Despite suddenly losing its lead, Burlingame maintained its energy, pushing for an equalizer. A shot from Alex Kelly in the 70th minute deflected right to sophomore winger Kylan Dean, who tapped home what looked to be the equalizer. 

Senior Left Back Jose Henrique Amorim flies up the left flank on an attack.

The goal was overturned, however, after a discussion between referees ruled the goal offside, setting the Panthers back to a one-goal deficit. 

As the time ticked by, the prospect of an upset and elimination grew for Burlingame. However, at the death of regulation, senior winger Calvin Wagner scored a heroic equalizing goal to level up the game at 2-2. It was a massive moment, and one that the Panthers felt they fully deserved after the controversial offside call. 

“We fought very hard as a team, and that moment showed our character, being able to find that equalizer,” O’Grady said. “We had that motivation and confidence going into extra time.”

Senior Calvin Wagner scores the last minute equalizing goal.

What followed Wagner’s equalizer was 20 minutes of cagey, stagnant and overall uneventful play. Neither team pushed for a goal; neither developed many chances. 

As the end of regulation approached, a penalty shootout seemed imminent. 

The Panthers ultimately lost 5-4 in the penalty shootout — a bitter end to a hard-fought game and a dominant season.