Chavez scores twice as Vaqueros rally for 3-2 win in opener

SBCC erased a 2-1 deficit by scoring two goals in less than two minutes late in the second half on Friday afternoon and went on to register a 3-2 victory over L.A. Harbor in its men's soccer season debut at La Playa Stadium.

Sophomore forward Victor Chavez scored twice for the Vaqueros and Ameyawu Muntari, a freshman midfielder from Ghana, was involved in all three goals with a goal and two assists.

"One of the hardest things to do is come back from a 1-0 or 2-1 deficit," said Chavez. "We kept telling each other to keep going, keep going and to keep shooting. I took every chance I had and luckily two of them went in."

The Vaqueros fell behind 2-1 at the half and were outshot 5-1 in the first 15 minutes of the second half before coming to life. Muntari found himself alone about 16 yards in front of the net, but kicked it over the bar in the 71st minute.

The best goal of the game came at the 71:42 mark when Omar Cabanas lobbed a long lead pass up the left side to Sonny Boyoko. Boyoko, a freshman from Paris, France and the brother of ex-SBCC assistant coach Goffin Boyoko, slid the ball across to a cutting Anyadike, who scored from point-blank range to tie it 2-2.

The Vaqueros struck again 1:49 later when Anyadike passed to Chavez and he bent a left-footed shot from the edge of the box into the upper left corner for the game-winner at 73:31.

"We made a couple of individual errors in the first half and we spoke to the boys at halftime about shooting more," said 11th-year head coach John Sisterson. "You have to test the keeper or you're not going to score.

"We made a couple of substitutions that made a difference. Omar hit a great through ball to Sonny and we got on the end of it to tie the game at 2."

The Seahawks took an early 1-0 lead when Daberchukwu Anyadike converted a rebound in the 12th minute. The Vaqueros tied it at the 24:38 mark when Muntari's hard shot was blocked by the keeper and the ball bounced to Chavez, who sprinted from the left side to the middle of the field to score the Vaqueros' first goal of the year.

Harbor took a 2-1 halftime lead when Ariel Vasquez was pulled down in the box in the 38th minute. Anyadike took the PK but SBCC sophomore goalie Shane Pitcock was right on it for the save. Unfortunately, the ball caromed right back to Anyadike and he scored easily.

Pitcock, a first-team All-WSC choice last year, made eight saves.

Each team got off 14 shots and the Seahawks had 10 on-goal compared to eight for the Vaqueros.

"I think we can go far this year," Chavez stated. "We have a lot of individual talent that we need to blend into a team."

SBCC returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 5 with a road trip to Taft for a 1 p.m. contest.