Six AYSO Region 69 regular season playoff winners competed in the Area P championships last weekend at Culver City. Just one team emerged victorious, Craig Collar’s U10 boys squad’the Cookie Monsters’and they will advance to Section 1 playoffs in Riverside on February 26-27. The Monsters, who were 7-0-2 in regular season play, had squeaked past the Tomato United, 2-1, to advance to tournament play. In their first game on Saturday, the Pacific Palisades/Brentwood team easily dispatched Hollywood, 7-1. Nino Collias scored the first goal, followed by four goals from Wyatt Sarkisian, and goals by Zach Hausner and Campbell Collar. In the semi-finals against Beverly Hills, Sarkisian scored just five minutes into the game. ‘We had plenty of chances after that, including a great shot from Owen Higley that was an unlucky miss,’ Collar said. Beverly Hills countered with a break-away score and the game remained tied until the final three minutes. ‘It looked like we were headed for overtime,’ Collar said, ‘when Hausner suddenly crossed to Campbell Collar, who was at the far post, and smashed it home for the win, 2-1.’ Facing LA Central in the finals, the Cookie Monsters broke a tough scoreless tie early in the second half when Hausner’s free kick went to Collias in the penalty area and Collias smashed it into the net. With five minutes left to play, Hausner scored with an assist from Campbell Collar, sealing the 2-0 victory. Coach Collar credited midfielder Daniel Leonard (son of the town’s next honorary mayor, Sugar Ray Leonard) for skilled passing, which repeatedly set up scoring opportunities, and his defensive players Donald Watson, August Bridge and Maximo Speiser for allowing just two goals during the tournament. ’Josh Barad was outstanding in the goal,’ Collar said. ‘He was also a constant menace on offense with his tremendous speed.’ In Riverside, the Cookie Monsters will compete against teams from Section 1, which is comprised of 70 regions and 11 areas, representing more than 100,000 players.
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