PREP SOCCER ROUNDUP : Purdom’s Kick Propels El Modena Past Orange

It was only a league championship, but to El Modena’s Nick Purdom it might as well have been a Southern Section championship.

“I’ve never felt better in my life,” he said Wednesday after his acrobatic game-tying goal with 10 minutes left gave the Vanguards a 1-1 tie at Orange High School.

Orange (12-7-4, 6-2-2) and El Modena (11-3-5, 5-1-4) tied for first place in the Century League with 14 points. Because El Modena beat Orange earlier in the season, it will begin next week’s Southern Section Division II playoffs as the league’s top-seeded team.

Orange scored its goal 30 seconds into the second half on a cross from freshman Danny Califf that was tipped in by freshman Alex Garcia. It looked as if Orange would be able to hold onto the lead and the league title, but El Modena began pressuring Orange goalkeeper Aldo Zuniga halfway through the second half.

The Vanguards scored when Purdom, a junior forward, took a long crossing pass from Chris Cate. With his back to the net from about 15 yards, Purdom spun and volleyed the ball past Zuniga into the upper left corner.

“The ball was a little behind me, but I just adjusted to the ball,” Purdom said. “I knew I was in the middle of the field, but I didn’t even see where I shot it.”

Purdom didn’t have to follow the ball, his teammates’ reaction told him all he needed to know.

“It was pretty scary trailing that late,” he said, “but I never played with a group of guys with so much heart. My whole team wanted this (league title) from the very start.”

Orange Coach Eddie Carrillo said his team wanted it too, but just didn’t have enough at the end to hold off El Modena.

“Those guys never give up,” Carrillo said. “They have a lot of seniors out there, and I have three freshman and three sophomores out there. We played a lot harder than the first time we played them. I think we’re ready for the playoffs.”