Mater Dei players celebrate Michael Cherico’s goal against Servite in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Servite’s Martin Rico heads the ball amidst a sea of Mater Dei players during their game between Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Ayden Romo is upended by Servite goalie Talin Morgan in the first half of the game between Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Jake Barak, center, goes high into the air as he attempts a header into the goal which was stopped by Servitexe2x80x99s Talin Morgan. Servite vs. Mater Dei played in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Jake Barak, center, keeps his eye on the ball during the game between Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Kalani Kunimura, left, and Servite’s Martin Rico, right, battle for the ball during the game between Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Jake Barak, left, heads the ball as Servite’s Nicholas Nodarse defends during the game between Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Michael Cherico, left, heads the ball late in the second half of the game between Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Servite’s Justin Cuevas, right, celebrates a penalty kick in the first half of the game between Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Kalani Kunimura, left, and Servite’s Freddy Mora, right, clash for possession of the ball. In a hard-fought match, Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Diego Chavarria, center, heads the ball to score off a thrown-in during the first half of the game between Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Michael Cherico celebrates his goal during a game against Servite in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei’s Damien Soto, left, fights for possession during the game between Servite vs. Mater Dei in a Trinity League boys soccer game at Mater Dei High School on Friday Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
SANTA ANA — With four Trinity League boys soccer teams ranked among the Top 10 in Orange County, finishing first in the league is no easy feat.
Doing it without losing a league game is tougher still.
But that is what Mater Dei has accomplished after defeating Servite 2-1 in a Trinity League contest Friday at Mater Dei High School.
With the victory, the Monarchs (15-0-1, 7-0-1), who are ranked No. 1 in the county and No. 2 in Division 1 of the CIF Southern Section, clinched the league title with two games to spare and remain undefeated in all games.
“I think it speaks to our culture,” Mater Dei coach Sean Ganey said. “I think anytime you put together a good string, it’s not just the talent on the field, but it’s every single guy. Watch our bench. You watch when we celebrate, everybody’s into it. And for me, that’s the culture. That’s what I’ve always said is first. Whatever we do, our culture has to be right.”
The Friars (12-5-2, 3-3-2), who are ranked No. 6 in the county, are holding on to second place and in third is Orange Lutheran (7-4-5, 2-2-4), which played to a 0-0 tie against JSerra (6-1-7, 1-1-6) on Friday.
Servite closes out the regular season with games against Orange Lutheran and JSerra.
The Friars got on the board first when Justin Cuevas scored on a penalty kick 15 minutes into the contest.
Mater Dei tied the score in the 20th minute on Diego Chavarria’s header into the net, which came off a throw-in from Jake Barak.
Michael Cherico scored what proved to be the winning goal on a perfectly placed free kick from in front of the goal, about 40 yards out.
Cherico, who has 21 goals and 10 assists this season, sent the ball over a wall of players and into the upper-right corner of the goal, just out of reach of the goalkeeper.
“It’s been a journey, especially with me at this program and all of our guys,” Cherico said. “Our core group has stayed the same for a long time. We’ve had a lot of heartbreaks and a lot of that against JSerra and against Servite. It’s a very hard league, and when you come out and get the chance to win the league against a team like Servite, who every year is one of the top teams in the state, it just feels great. Especially for us to grind out a win the way we did.”
The Monarchs defeated the Friars 3-2 in their first matchup Jan. 10 at Servite.
The game Friday was played with a high level of intensity by both teams, and along with it came multiple yellow cards.
“They deserve it,” Servite coach Eddie Soto said of the Monarchs winning the league title. “They are having a good year. That’s what makes this league so great, because on any given day, anyone can win. There’s a lot of history, and not just between the teams or the schools, but between the coaches. I’ve known Sean for nearly 30 years.”
