Pajaro Valley High goalkeeper Eddie Lona attempts to catch the ball in front of Watsonville High’s Miguel Jimenez (6) on Saturday at Aptos High. (Photo by Richard Muñoz)

APTOS — The Watsonville High boys soccer team won’t have much time to celebrate beating rival Pajaro Valley to take over first place in the Monterey Bay League standings.

The Wildcatz beat the Grizzlies 2-0 on Saturday at Aptos High, but Pajaro Valley will get the chance to regain first place when the teams play Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Watsonville High.

“We gave it our best and they gave it their best and in the end the results of who is better came in,” said forward Christian Diaz, who scored one of Watsonville’s goals.

“This is the game we have been preparing for all year,” said Grizzlies goalkeeper Eddie Lona, who made 12 saves in a strong performance. “This is the game that has to be played regardless of how long it is delayed. Now this game is past, we know how they play and we will be ready for Wednesday against them again. It will be a different game against them; we will change some things up for them.”

Saturday’s game — which was originally scheduled to be played Jan. 22 — was physical and sloppy in a scoreless first half as the teams tested each other out and worked through their nerves. Pajaro Valley received three yellow cards and Watsonville one, and both teams struggled to string passes together.

After halftime, the level of play lifted, and Watsonville senior midfielder Nacho Frias broke the stalemate when he scored on a free kick from about 25 yards out in the 51st minute. Frias’ shot went into the net high near the far post, just beating a leaping effort by Lona.

The Wildcatz (13-3-1, 6-0-1) added an insurance goal in the 65th minute. Watsonville defensive captain Antonio Monejano stole the ball from Pajaro Valley as it attempted to attack the Wildcatz net, then worked the ball forward with passes to Frias and Adrian Vasquez before finding Diaz with a perfect pass as he raced into the box from the outside. Diaz fired a powerful shot that Lona saved, but the ball deflected away. Vasquez got to the ball first and dished the ball to Diaz, who fired the ball into the net away from Lona, who was guarding the near post.

“After I stopped them, I saw the speed we were using to their goal and knew we had a good chance to score the goal,” Montejano said. “We caught them disorganized in the back on defense and we were coming at full speed.”

“There were a lot of gaps in the defense and I just had to find my mark,” Diaz said. “I took a second look at the goal and saw the far post opened and took something off the ball just to make sure I put it right where I wanted to.”

“Our keeper did a great job,” Pajaro Valley coach Ramon Hernandez said. “He only had one mistake, on the first goal when it went over his head. The second goal, there was just a lot of confusion around the net and they got it in. We will be ready for the next game.”

Watsonville goalkeeper David Muñoz recorded nine saves in his eighth shutout of the season.

Hernandez said that his team, which suffered its first league loss of the season, will play better on Wednesday, while Watsonville coach Roland Hedgpeth indicated he also expected a better performance from his players.

"We played a little cautious today in the first half but I don’t anticipate that next (game) from them,” Hedgpeth said. “They now know what they have to do against them so that they can play their own way.”



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