Wolverines Overtake Loyola

NORTH HOLLYWOOD — To hear Coach Rich Corso tell it, Harvard-Westlake High’s Mission League winning streak was never in jeopardy.

“I knew we were going to win,” said Corso, smiling. “I have faith in the kids.”

Still, it was Corso who appeared the most animated and jovial after his Wolverines overcame a three-goal deficit to beat rival Loyola, 7-6, on a goal by Travis Warner in overtime Wednesday in front of a capacity crowd at Harvard-Westlake for its fourth consecutive league title.

“It’s fun to win league,” said Corso, whose Wolverines have won 19 consecutive league games. “It means a lot.”

Corso was feeling much better about his Wolverines (17-5, 4-0 in league play), ranked No. 5 in Southern Section Division I, than he was before the game.

Unhappy with the play of the bulk of his seniors during a state invitational tournament last weekend, Corso benched his seniors in favor of five sophomore starters.

Harvard-Westlake missed six first-quarter shots and trailed, 2-0, with less than two minutes left in the quarter when Corso let his seniors out of the doghouse.

Loyola extended its lead to 3-0 on Charlie Moore’s goal early in the second quarter, before Harvard-Westlake got even with three goals in the final 4:52 of the half.

The Cubs (14-3, 3-1), ranked No. 8 in Division, scored on consecutive man-up opportunities for a 5-3 lead, but Harvard-Westlake answered with goals by Eric Townsend and Ricky Offsay to tie it, 5-5.

The Wolverines claimed their first lead on a two-meter goal by Offsay with 3:07 remaining in regulation. Less than a minute later, Loyola converted another man-up opportunity to tie it again, 6-6.

Warner scored in the first of two three-minute overtimes to win it. Ted Zepfel assisted.