Hartnell wins state semifinal

The ultimate prize awaits the Hartnell College men's soccer team. All the squad has to do is win the final game of the season.

Hartnell defeated Santa Ana 3-2 in the state semifinals on Friday afternoon, putting the locals one win away from a state championship.

"The players are on cloud nine right now," said Hartnell coach Daniel Ortega.

The Panthers will take on Mount San Antonio College of Walnut in the finals at 2 p.m. Sunday at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento. The winner will be the state champion.

Hartnell's offense, which has struck at opportune times all season, pounced on Santa Ana in the first half. The Panthers scored all three of their goals in the first frame.

In the fourth minute, Lorenzo Vasquez got Hartnell on the board, leading 1-0. It's the fastest goal Hartnell has scored in a postseason game this season, and barely by a couple of minutes.

Santa Ana answered in the 10th minute when Uriel Rebollar took a pass from Leonardo Contreras and fired it in, tying the game at 1-1. It was Rebollar's third goal of the season.

In the 27th minute, Hartnell got the lead back when Santos Ortiz passed the ball to Jose Mendoza, who scored for a 2-1 Hartnell advantage.

Two minutes later, Hartnell increased its lead when Edgar Prieto scored unassisted.

Santa Ana, the No. 3 seed in the Southern California Regional did all it could to match Hartnell in the second half.

Luis Venegas, the top goal scorer in the state this year, tallied an unassited goal in the 71st minute to get Santa Ana to within 3-2. It was the first time in the postseason Hartnell had allowed two goals to an opponent.

Venegas scored his 27th goal of the season. The rest of the state was at least five goals back.

He scored in Santa Ana's win last week to get the team to the state final four.

In the 79th minute, a Hartnell player was given consecutive yellow cards, leaving the Panthers to play one man down the rest of the way.

"That hurt us," Ortega said. "We spent a lot of energy defending."

But even with one less player, Hartnell created two prime opportunities, including a one-on-one breakaway in which the shot attempt sailed just over the crossbar.

"When we were 10-on-11, we had to manage the game differently, and the players did a good job," Ortega said.

Goalkeeper Fabian Narez made five saves.

Hartnell was in the state final four for the second time in three seasons. The squad, which has been in the state rankings for the majority of the season, will now face the defending champions.

Mount SAC is 17-3-4 on the season. It has won the last four state championships. The Owls defeated Foothill 2-1 to reach the finals.

Mount SAC has allowed two goals the whole postseason.