Bosco Lorin and Jacques Saldanha scored goals as the Piedmont High School boys soccer team recorded a 2-0 victory over visiting Justin-Siena-Napa on Feb. 19 in the first round of the North Coast Section Division 4 playoffs.
The Highlanders, who received the top seed, will host No. 9 Urban-San Francisco at 5 p.m. on Feb. 22 at Witter Field.
The game was scoreless in the first 16 minutes but Lorin was able to break the ice by putting a long shot in over the goalkeeper.
“I opened up with a little space,” Lorin said. “I noticed the keeper was a little short so I took a shot, put it over his head and put it in the back of the net.
“It was a great feeling. Super-momentum boost for the team to keep us going.”
Piedmont’s Henry Devan looks back after Justin-Siena thwarted a Highlander attack. Piedmont won an NCS playoff game, 2-0. 
Piedmont’s Jacques Saldahna (10) attacks against Justin-Siena’s Peter Eierman (left) and Matthew Nelson at Witter Field. 
Piedmont’s Jacques Saldanha (10) tries to head the ball off of a corner kick in an NCS playoff match against Justin-Siena. 
Piedmont’s Logan Faucher (42) and Bosco Lorin (50) spring upfield. Lorin scored a goal as Piedmont beat Justin-Siena, 2-0. 
Piedmont’s Logan Faucher (42) gets tangled with Justin-Siena’s Isaac Holland-Neves (7) during Piedmont’s 2-0 victory.
Said Justin-Siena coach Brandon Hernandez, “Their player scored a hell of a goal from maybe 30 out. Just a great strike. Nothing you can really do about that one.”
Saldahna scored the insurance goal in the 72nd minute after Piedmont’s Gianluca Bini and the Braves goalkeeper collided. The ball went to Saldahna who put it in.
“This is what we’ve been building towards,” Highlanders coach Ben Russell said. “Happy to get a clean sheet and two goals under the belt. I think we’ve got lots to still keep working on. We battled hard and we found a hard way to win.
“I think there’s other ways we can continue to build and make things a little easier on ourselves but that’s high school boys football.”
Piedmont did keep control of the match, keeping the ball in Justin-Siena’s end of the field for most of the night. But the Braves also fought well, preventing the Highlanders from dominating.
“We played Piedmont in a nonleague game two years ago and we got battered (5-0),” Hernandez said. “The year prior it was a 5-0 loss in playoffs. A lot better tonight.”
The Highlanders are happy to be moving on.
“We’re excited to get to the next round,” Lorin said. “The job isn’t finished.”
Piedmont is now 6-8-4 on the field on the season. Justin-Siena finished 6-15-1.
Photos by Damin Esper