Righetti’s boys soccer team spotted Santa Maria two Andy Contreras first-half goals on a chilly Thursday night. Then the Warriors went on the attack.

Did they EVER go on the attack.

The home team routed the Saints’ defense with a relentless through-ball game after intermission. Righetti scored three times n the second half and beat Santa Maria 3-2 in an entertaining and sometimes testy (six yellow cards) non-league game between these cross-town rivals at Righetti’s Warrior Stadium.

Righetti is 2-0-0. Santa Maria is 2-1-0. Both teams play in the Cats & Dogs Tournament today, but at different locations. The Warriors take on Dunn at 11:30 a.m. and Serrano at 1:30 p.m. at Paloma Creek Park in Atascadero. The Saints play San Luis Obispo at 12:30 p.m. and St. Francis at 2:30 p.m. at Barney Schwartz Park in Paso Robles.

Servando Perez’s second goal was the game-winner Thursday night. He was by himself near the right sideline and, with Santa Maria goal keeper Josue Cardoza out of the goal box, Perez headed the ball goal-ward with about two minutes left to play.

Though Perez scored twice in the second half, he did a lot of his damage with his passing. “I was looking for (Rosario Bras),” Perez said afterward. “I knew Rosario and Anthony Robinson were too fast for their defenders, and I just tried to get the ball to them.”

He did consistently, though Greg Burr got the assist on Bras’ game-tying goal in the 54th minute.

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Two Santa Maria players argued vehemently with the referee as Perez was being mobbed on the sideline by his teammates after the last goal. Santa Maria coach Al Garcia thought his players had a legitimate beef.

“The guy was offside by three feet,” Garcia claimed. “It would have been a better game if the linesman over there had been more competent, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

“We had our opportunities anyway. One in the first half and once again in the second, the ball was rolling right in front of the goal, but instead of kicking it in, our guys stand there and look at it.”

Santa Maria had the ball on Righetti’s end most of the first half and broke through in the 35th minute. A Righetti defender tried to clear out a Contreras shot but kicked the ball past goal keeper Ian Lane instead.

There was nothing cheap about the second Contreras goal. Nestor Alvarez zipped a sweet pass to him and Contreras, practically at the left post, kicked the ball in.

Cardoza denied two point-blank shots in the first half, and Luis Aguilar helped the Saints check Righetti’s offense before the break.

The teams played to a stalemate in the first few minutes of the second half. Everything changed after Perez got his team on the board by kicking a high shot into the net from about 10 yards out at the 48-minute mark.

Garcia said, “We lost our composure a bit in the second half.”

Righetti kept pounding at the Saints with long passes that its speedy forwards consistently got to behind the Santa Maria defense. Lane was steady in goal, and defenders Anthony Lang and Ehi Robinson kept the Saints from getting a consistent attack going.

“We never give up,” said Bras. “That’s why we won the game.”

Righetti assistant coach Jeremiah Danill said, “Anthony Lang shut down (Contreras). That was huge.”

Warriors coach John Pranjic said, “Our game plan was to shut down their forwards, and it took a little while for our guys to get used to it. It’s not a defense we’re normally accustomed to playing.

“Things worked out a lot better for us in the second half.”

Pranjic and Danill were once standouts for Righetti’s boys soccer team.

Cabrillo 2, Nipomo 1

Sean Greathead scored a goal in each half for the Conquistadores (1-0-1), while Fernando Osua had a solid defensive game in a non-league victory over the Titans (0-2).

Greathead’s first goal came in the 20th minute on a cross from Miguel Gomez, while the second came on a header in the 50th minute off a cross from Deuce Galvan.

Diego DeLeon started the scoring with a penalty-kick goal for the Titans in the eighth minute.

Both teams take part in the Cats & Dogs Tournament over the weekend: Cabrillo faces co-host Atascadero today at 10 a.m., followed by a 1 p.m. match against Carpinteria; Nipomo faces Morro Bay at 3:30 p.m., with a 6:30 p.m. match with Dos Pueblos to follow.

Arroyo Grande 0, Santa Ynez 0

Arroyo Grande goal keeper Bryan Rivas made nine saves as the Eagles (0-1-1) battled the Pirates (3-0-0) to a scoreless draw.

Women’s basketball

Cuesta Tournament

Chaffey routed Hancock College’s squad 87-47 in the first round.

Monica Valencia scored 20 points for the Bulldogs (0-7). Elisa Ayala put in 10.

December 5, 2008