Pair Help Foothill Top Orange

Omar Rodriguez said he and Darren Crume are probably the best front-line combination on the Foothill boys’ soccer team. In Thursday’s 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Orange, the duo lifted their teamwork to another level. Rodriguez scored the game-winning goal with five minutes remaining in sudden-death, taking advantage of Crume’s interference on Orange sweeper Danny Califf during the breakaway goal.

The victory lifted Foothill (15-7-6), the third-place team from the Century League, into Tuesday’s Division II semifinal game against third-seeded Santa Barbara San Marcos. The Knights have not advanced this far into the playoffs since they won a section title in 1984.

The scoring play began when a long ball was sent out by the Foothill defense and Califf slipped at midfield while changing directions. This gave Rodriguez and Crume the momentum, with Califf trailing slightly.

Crume passed the ball off to Rodriguez, then slowed down and made contact with Califf, which gave Rodriguez some extra room to work. Rodriguez then beat Orange goalkeeper Alejandro Gallegos with a hard, low shot to his left. For a moment it looked is if the line judge would call obstruction on Crume, but after a short discussion with the head referee the goal stood.

“I was trying to get to the ball and the other guy was turning around and holding me,” Califf said. “I couldn’t even get near the ball. The lineman started to raise his flag, then they scored and their fans went crazy and he was like, ‘OK, OK, OK,’ and he let it go.”

It was a surprising result for Foothill, which had been outshot and outplayed for most of the game. Foothill goalkeeper Nick Adams stopped eight shots to earn his 13th shutout of the season, and the Knights’ defense also did an effective job getting in front of several hard shots by Orange.

In another Division II game:

Sunny Hills 1, Woodbridge 0--Danny Crosley’s goal 15 minutes into the first half was the difference for Sunny Hills, which will play Colton in the semifinals Tuesday. Ashlely Hendry had 10 saves for the Lancers (14-10-3).

In Division IV:

Laguna Beach 1, Estancia 0--Mike Labeda had eight saves in his ninth shutout of the season for Laguna Beach. Spencer Herbert scored a goal in the 35th minute for the Artists (18-6-2).

Laguna Beach plays South El Monte, which beat North Hollywood Harvard Westlake, 3-1.

Estancia finished 13-7-2.