The TSA 98 Boys Red Region IV run came to a heartbreaking end on Saturday morning with a 2-1 semi-final loss to two-time defending National Champion Santa Barbara SC.  

That's how close - and competitive - the Boys 98 Red team is on the national level.

The match opened with Santa Barbara taking immediate control and creating three high-quality chances in the span of 15 minutes.  Antony Siaha was up to the task and made brilliant saves on each attempt.  Over the next 25 minutes the 98 Boys settled down, found their defensive rhythm and began to exploit the high line of the Santa Barbara defense with quality counter attacks. 

In the 25th minute, Julian Gaona broke free on the right side and slotted a perfect ball to an unmarked AJ Valenzuela at the penalty spot. Valenzuela's strike had the keeper going the wrong way but unfortunately the goalie made goal-saving kick save.  TSA's pressure and defensive organization were paying off, as Santa Barbara became increasingly frustrated, and TSA looked more and more dangerous.  The half ended 0-0 with Santa Barbara outshooting TSA 6-3, but the 98 Boys realized they belonged on this stage and that an upset was very realistic. 

The second half started much like the first with Santa Barbara being the aggressor and putting TSA under tremendous pressure.  The story of the tournament for TSA was its 320 consecutive minutes without conceding goal, but the streak finally ended in the 47th minute (367th of the tournament) when Santa Barbara got around the corner on the right flank and a low driven cross was hit on the first-time full volley into the side netting for a 1-0 Santa Barbara lead.  The fifth game in six days and heavy grass of the Bernalillo complex were beginning show in tired legs but this is when TSA showed its true character and mettle.

When most teams would have wilted under the pressure being a goal down to the defending champion, TSA took over.  It began winning more balls in the midfield, springing Julian Gaona, AJ Valenzuela and Jacob Contreras in dangerous counterattacks.  In the 54th minute, Valenzuela got free down the right flank and found Julian Gaona all alone inside the box.  Gaona took one touch and finished far post for his second goal of the tournament, knotting the score at 1-1 and giving TSA the much-deserved momentum.  In the 65th minute, the first of two decisive breaks occurred. Gaona once again got behind the defense and was breaking towards goal at the top of the box when the SB centerback grabbed his arm and pulled him back.  Gaona was able to break free and continue his run towards the keeper.  The SB defender went to ground and fouled Gaona from behind well inside the box.  The referee blew his whistle and signaled for a penalty kick.  As the TSA players were celebrating the ensuing PK and deciding who would take it, the AR waved the referee over and they inexplicably said the first foul occurred outside the box and therefore no PK. 

In addition to changing the initial PK call, the referee ignored the FIFA last man foul rule and only issued a yellow card to the defender.  The ensuing free kick went harmlessly wide and the protests of the staff and players fell on the deaf ears of the officials.  What should have been a 2-1 lead for TSA and playing a man up for the last 15 minutes turned into a tie game with both teams still at full strength.  In the 76th minute, the second and ultimately game-deciding moment occurred when a Santa Barbara player hit a left-footed shot from the top of the box that looked to be going over the goal.  It ended up striking the underside of the crossbar, coming down on the goal line and bouncing straight up, out, into the hands of Siaha who looked to start the attack. The center referee hesitated but the linesman signaled goal from 40 yards away and Santa Barbara celebrated while the referee once again ignored the protests of the TSA players and staff. 

The waning moments saw TSA gain two half chances, but the heroics of Gabe Mendoza in the National Cup semifinals eluded the 98 Boys and the match ended 2-1 with the players strewn about the field in exhaustion and heartbreak.  The men of the match were: Antony Siaha, Julian Gaona, Gaby Hernandez, Gabe Mendoza and Johnny Ramirez.  The team finished the tournament 4-1 with 11 goals for and 2 goals against.  For the season, they went 23-5-1 outscoring their opponents 52-15. 

"If anyone asked me at the beginning of the season if I'd be happy with making it to the regional semifinals and losing 2-1 to Santa Barbara, I'd have said of course, but I've got to tell you that this was a very difficult loss to take.  I hope the players are as motivated by this game as I am", said TSA Director of Coaching and 98 Boys Red head coach Jeff Rogers. "We did everything right and certainly did enough to win the game, but it just didn't happen and that is soccer ... it's a game of breaks and, unfortunately, they went against us in the most crucial moments of the game. I can't tell you how proud I am of this team and it's just a very special group of kids ... they epitomize the saying "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts."  There is a chemistry to this team that you can't coach or teach, and that's what makes them one of the top teams in the country as they proved today."