Gorman boys rally past Bonanza

Bishop Gorman’s boys soccer team hasn’t had much need to stage a comeback this year.

But coach Doug Borgel is happy the reigning state runner-up Gaels still know how to rally.

Shane Thompson scored a second-half stunner to lead Gorman to a 2-1 victory Thursday at Bonanza, handing the Bengals their first loss of the season.

“A lot of relief, and I think well deserved,” Borgel said of his emotions after the match. “When you come and play against Bonanza this year, they were the team to beat at this point. They hadn’t lost, hadn’t tied and have some fantastic players.

“Either team could’ve come away with the win and deserved it today.”

Thompson found the net four minutes before the end of the match, after Bonanza goalkeeper Billy Sagel raced off his line to knock down a free kick by Gorman’s Fuzz Orellana. But the deflection hit Thompson in the thigh, and the Gaels captain blasted a shot barely contained by the net to give Gorman (6-0-1) the lead.

“By then, I didn’t even care; I just hit it as hard as I could,” Thompson said. “By the time I looked up, I thought I blew off the back of the net.”

Giovanni Rodriguez opened the scoring in the 10th minute for the Bengals (7-1, 5-1 Southwest League). The speedy forward took advantage of confusion in the penalty box and a short pass from Daniel Hernandez to give his side the advantage.

Rodriguez’s score was Gorman’s first goal allowed in open play this season. The Gaels previously had given up only three penalty kicks, including a first-half PK at Western that set up their only other deficit of the year.

“Those are the things you can’t teach the kids,” Borgel said. “It’s through experience that they learn to come back from that. We were able to come back in (against Western) and rally. I think the boys knew that.

“We talked in the beginning and knew there would be more than one goal today. They just had to weather the storm.”

Thompson nearly tallied six minutes later, cruising into the penalty box after his own throw-in to force Sagel into making one of his eight saves.

In the 18th minute, though, Jason Eng found himself near Bonanza’s end line with little chance of taking a quality shot. But with a swift spin and a kick, Eng hooked the ball around two defenders and into the middle of the box, where Michael Tonnetti redirected it into the back of the net for the match-tying score.

“I think it’s difficult when you’re on the road to give up an early goal and keep your composure,” Borgel said. “But credit to the boys for doing that.”

Thompson called Eng’s pass “absolutely brilliant.”

“When the ball’s coming right there, you don’t want to try to be the hero. The odds of hitting (a shot from the end line) are too high,” Thompson said. “The flick over the defender was brilliant by Jason.

“It was a tough moment, but a big moment by a freshman, coming in and starting for us.”

Both teams tested the goalkeepers in the second half, with Gorman putting seven of its nine shots on goal, and Bonanza adding eight shots, including five on goal. The attacking display and constant runs forced Gorman to rely on its bench for large chunks of possession.

“We’re a different team this year. We’re not as skilled, but we’re a lot deeper,” Borgel said. “I was able to put a lot of bench players in today and not lose much fitness.

“I think having a deep bench and getting these guys experience now will help us when we get to playoff time.”

Goalkeeper Thomas Olsen finished with six saves for the Gaels.