Prep Boys Soccer: Longhorns eliminate top-seeded Broncos

The opportunities were there for the Rancho Bernardo High boys soccer team Friday night, but Rancho Buena Vista was able to keep the Broncos off the scoreboard.

The eighth-seeded Longhorns pulled off the upset of top-seeded Rancho Bernardo 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the San Diego Section Division I playoffs at Rancho Bernardo High.

Edgar Martinez scored in the 22nd minute and the second goal came in stoppage time, as Rancho Buena Vista avenged a 2-0 loss to the Broncos earlier in the season to advance to the semifinals.

Rancho Bernardo had its best chance to get the equalizer a minute into stoppage time, but Evan Roehrig’s shot from 12 yards away was denied by the goalkeeper. That led to a controversial moment in the box.

The ball bounced off the goalkeepers hands and two Broncos had a chance to clean it up, but both went down in the box. No foul was called. Instead, Rancho Buena Vista cleared the ball and put the game away with a goal into an empty net.

“We should be playing overtime and maybe they finish it in overtime, but we should be there to play it,” Rancho Bernardo coach Kurt Trecker said. “It’s hard to go out like that when two guys get pulled down in the box and the decision by the official for their to be no recourse.”

It was the second straight shutout by Rancho Buena Vista, who beat Westview 4-0 in the opening round. The Longhorns will face No. 12 Calexico or No. 4 Scripps Ranch with a trip to the title game on the line.

The loss means the end of the season for the Broncos, who finished the game with 10 players on the field after Andy Taylor drew a red card in the 77th minute. Rancho Bernardo (12-7-4) backed up its runner-up finish in the Division II playoffs by earning the No. 1 seed in Division I this season.

“I am really proud of the boys and the season they had,” Trecker said. “I thought they had a great year and we did the best we have done in the Palomar League in years.”