East Union’s Cooper Rossi was not content being the backup goalie.
The Lancers senior blocked a Manteca penalty kick Wednesday night, scored a penalty kick of his own and tallied another goal on a diving header after coming out of the net to play in the field in a 7-0 win for East Union that clinched the outright Valley Oak League championship at Dino Cunial Field.
“I just want to thank the team,” Rossi said. “They are like my family and today we balled out and won the VOL.
“All I could ask for was the win and we came out here and got the 7-0 win. We have a great coaching staff and we played together as a team today and I am glad I got to contribute.”
Leading the VOL in goals with 26 coming into the Wednesday contest, Giovanni Perez notched a brace to add two more to start the game, one of them coming via a header.
“This feels good,” Perez said. “Last year we won it but we weren’t really recognized for it because of the COVID thing going on.
“I am extremely happy. This is such a great team. We became family.”
Omar Silva dished up a pair of assists to Perez on his two goals.
“This was my senior night and my last year so I had to try and make a big difference,” Silva said. “We wanted to win the VOL title in the backyard.
“Anything can happen on any given day so I know I had to come play my best and come ready to win.”
Corwin Snyder made the halftime score 3-0 when he headed in an assist from Anthony Sy. In the second half, Ivan Chavez scored an unassisted goal, Rossi tallied his penalty kick, Omar Lopez found the net on a 20-plus yard direct kick from the wing and Rossi capped the regular-season scoring off of an assist from Angel Guzman.
The Lancers finished the season with a 10-1-1 league record for 31 points and 13-5-7 overall. Sierra and Weston Ranch battled to a 1-1 tie Wednesday with the Timberwolves a step behind East Union at 9-2-1 with 28 points and the Cougars in third at 8-1-3 with 27 points.
“Not knowing exactly what was going to happen with Weston Ranch and Sierra tonight, I knew that if we won we would be solo champions,” Lancers coach Ronnie Green said. “So we just took care of business tonight.
“Everybody got minutes. I am super extremely happy for Cooper (Rossi). Coming in as a backup goalie for us he made a super save on a PK and then scored two goals.
“Omar Silva was one of the players we lost to playing club earlier this year and this is really his first championship because he was not part of the state team because he played club so this was a pretty big night for him as a senior.”
The Buffaloes drop to 2-10, 3-10-1.
East Union must now wait for the Sac-Joaquin Section pairings to be announced next week for the playoffs that begin next Thursday. The reigning SJS and NorCal Division III champion Lancers are hitting their stride, winning their last nine outings and allowing just one goal in that span.
Junior varsity
East Union 2, Manteca 1
The Lancers claimed first place in the VOL with a goal apiece from David Arellano and Adal Guitron.
Alex Mejia had the lone goal for the Buffaloes.
