ONTARIO — A 2-0 lead looks great on the scoreboard, but many soccer coaches also call it the most dangerous scoreline.

That adage was proven true Friday evening.

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Animo Leadership players celebrate with the CIF Southern Section Division 6 boys soccer championship trophy into the air after defeating Ontario Christian 4-2 in Ontario on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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Ontario Christian dominated the opening half and held that two-goal advantage at intermission of the CIF Southern Division 6 championship match. However, Animo Leadership turned the tables on the Knights in a matter of minutes and prevailed 4-2.

It marks the fifth section championship for Animo’s boys soccer program and first since winning the Division 3 title in 2024.

“We struggled to create any kind of offense in the first half, so we had to make adjustments at halftime,” Aztec Eagles coach Sergio Medrano said. “We hadn’t come back from a 2-0 deficit before tonight, but these players found a way to get it done.”

The match flipped in favor of Animo Leadership (19-8-5) during a six-minute stretch of the second half. Elias Medrano ripped a shot with the outside of his boot from the top of the box in the 51st minute. The shot appeared to take a slight deflection off the foot of an Ontario Christian defender, giving Knights goalkeeper Andrew Belden little chance to make the save.

The Aztec Eagles leveled the match 3 minutes later, as Christopher Sanchez headed home a low, driving corner kick from Ethan Mendoza. And then 2 1/2 minutes later, a miscue from Ontario Christian’s backline allowed Jeremiah Medrano to take control of the ball inside the box and fire a shot into the net.

“I’ve never experienced something like that,” Animo defender and captain Ryan Garcia said. “Those 6 minutes were the best 6 minutes of our lives and something we’ll always remember. … Hearing our fans cheering us on was a feeling like no other.”

Added Sergio Medrano: “We wanted to control the midfield in the second half and try to put Ontario Christian on their heels.”

The emotions were much different for Ontario Christian and its fans, as exuberance quickly was replaced by bewilderment.

“It’s tough because in soccer there are no timeouts,” Knights coach Anthony Quintanilla said. “You can’t stop the action and bring the team together in the huddle. You yell out instructions and keep on supporting them, but it can be a helpless feeling at times.”

Ontario Christian (22-5-1) nearly stunned the Aztec Eagles in the opening minute. Dominik Martinez intercepted a ball and dribbled into the box down to the end line. He passed the ball back, but Daniel Moreno pulled the shot just wide of the net.

The Knights continued to control the action and dominate possession throughout the first half, and the breakthrough goal came from a set piece in the 13th minute. Jacob Rivera sent a free kick into the box, and center defender Jacob De Corte jumped and deftly flicked the ball with his foot over Animo goalie Fernando Hernandez, sending the home crowd into frenzy.

De Corte also played a role in Ontario Christian’s second goal, which came in the 25th minute. De Corte’s long throw deep into the penalty area created some havoc for Animo’s defense, and Dalton Stott tucked the ball away for the 2-0 lead.

“We kind have gone through this program together,” Quintanilla said of his senior co-captain. “Jacob came in my second season here and has been an instrumental part of program. He’s been a great leader and knows how to get his teammates fired up.”

The Knights could not recreate the offensive magic in the second half, not even when De Corte moved up to the striker position.

Elias Medrano sealed the victory in the 71st minute, when he intercepted a pass and netted his second goal of the match.

“We kind of felt defeated at the start of halftime,” Medrano said. “We pray every day and ask God to give us strength, and we did that again tonight. We came back out on the field with confidence and ready to play the way we know we can.”

Quintanilla is excited for the program’s future despite losing De Corte and five other seniors to graduation.

“This is a great experience and learning opportunity our younger guys,” Quintanilla said. “We’ll bounce back like we always do.”


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