Buena Accepts Gift in Mud, Cashes In Against Rio Mesa

VENTURA — Muddy or not, the gift at Mike Bradbury’s feet was one he knew exactly what to do with.

Bradbury, a junior forward on the Buena High boys’ soccer team, picked up a loose ball and scored with about four minutes to play Tuesday afternoon, lifting the Bulldogs to a 2-2 tie with Rio Mesa in a Channel League match at Buena.

Darting through a muddy area in front of the Spartans’ goal, Bradbury was in the right place at the right time when Rio Mesa sweeper Adam Reeves missed a clearing attempt.

After the ball rolled behind Reeves, Bradbury dribbled in alone on Spartan goalkeeper Christian Zuniga, faked him to the ground and scored from five yards.

The result keeps Buena (9-1-3, 4-0-1 in league) a step ahead of Rio Mesa (6-1-2, 3-0-2) in the competitive league.

A close match was expected. Buena twice defeated Rio Mesa by a goal in league last season before losing to the Spartans, 2-1, in the Southern Section Division II quarterfinals.

“[Rio Mesa is] definitely our rival in league,” said Bradbury, who scored the match-winner with 30 seconds to play in the teams’ first regular-season meeting last season. “Some people would say Ventura is [our rival] because they’re so close but [Rio Mesa] is a real soccer team.”

The Spartans entered the match short-handed. Regular sweeper David Chooljian was ejected in the team’s previous match and had to sit out against Buena.

Reeves, normally a midfielder, took his place and performed admirably, heading balls out of the Spartan penalty area and racing from sideline to sideline.

“Adam only had one lapse,” said Rio Mesa Coach Brent Kruk, who knelt in the mud to console a disconsolate Reeves after the match. “The ball just skipped past him.”

Bradbury agreed that Reeves was not to blame.

“It was just an unlucky break but I’m glad it happened,” he said. “We seem to have a knack for coming back on these guys.”

Buena led, 1-0, at halftime on a goal by Randy Glaser.

Rio Mesa tied the score in the 46th minute when forward Jaime Ambriz headed in a cross by Jacob Beck for his ninth goal.

The Spartans took the lead, 2-1, in the 63rd minute when midfielder Keith Yanov burst up the center and scored from 10 yards.