Piedmont High School’s boys soccer season came to an end on Feb. 16 when visiting Archie Williams jumped out to an early lead and beat the Highlanders 3-1 in the second round of the North Coast Section Division 3 playoffs.
Piedmont was the second seed and the result could have been seen as an upset. But the No. 7 Peregrine Falcons jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first half with three goals in the first 23 minutes of the match.
Chala Rosenthal scored the first goal of the game in the fifth minute off of an assist from Cole Sullivan after a Highlander misplay. Then, Sean Chamberlain scored after taking a long free kick from Max Crock in the eighth minute. Sullivan scored the third goal at 23 minutes off a rebound from a penalty kick that was saved by Piedmont goalkeeper Axel Saldanha.
Archie Williams was able to play with confidence with the big lead. The Highlanders’ Harper Mand headed the ball in off a corner kick from Jake Faucher in the 40th minute and the half ended 3-1. But neither team scored in the second half and Piedmont’s quest for a third consecutive NCS championship was done.
The Peregrine Falcons (10-6-4) advanced to the NCS Division 3 semifinals on Feb. 20 at No. 3 Analy. Piedmont finished the season 11-3-3.