Tustin, CA — Foothill welcomed Beckman to the Northrup Stadium for the last leg of the city championship Wednesday night in the pouring rain. Tustin High School had won the city title the previous 2 seasons (22/23 and 21/22) and Foothill needed to go back 7 years to the 2017/18 season for the last time they held that title. Beckman has never held the city title. The Tustin city title is a bit of a misnomer because Beckman is located in the city of Irvine but is part of TUSD and Foothill is technically located in Santa Ana/County of Orange. Regardless, whether it should be called Tustin Unified District Championship or Tustin City Championship, the competition gives friends and families that attend our area schools an opportunity to determine the champion. Foothill handily dispatched rivals Tustin High School in a dominating 3-0 performance earlier in the season and Beckman tied Tustin in regular time but beat them in PKs to set the stage for the title game with the Knights. Winner of this game would take the city title and it was very fitting that the new champion would be crowned in the city stadium. Both teams came out of the gates firing. If Beckman was the underdog, you would not have known it from their pace of play and confidence on the ball. Both teams continued to attack and probe the oppositions' defenses but Beckman looked like the superior team in the first half as Foothill could not seem to connect more than 3 or 4 passes together. The Patriots scored first in the first half when the ball slipped in on a very wet surface. Beckman held that lead into the break. It seemed as though the pressure of the situation was keeping the Knights from playing like themselves. The second half was a different story for both teams. The Knights looked more like themselves with more pressure in dangerous parts of the field as well as more possession and poise on the ball. Jacob Garcia found the back of the net to equalize 1-1 in the 45th minute off an assist from Lucas Regan. The ball came off the Patriot keeper's hands on a slippery night. Both keepers would probably have made both saves under normal conditions but you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. The Knights continue to badger the Patriots in the midfield and the defensive centerback combo of Tyler Reid and Dylan Hicks dispatched any balls from Beckman that slipped through. In the 59th minute, Mitch Sampson played a beautiful ball into Lucas Regan who was making a streaking weak side run out of the midfield. Lucas still had a lot to do to settle the ball at speed but he collected it and beat the keeper to put the Knights ahead 2-1. Beckman increased their energy but could not find the quality to break down a determined and unified Knights squad. Every Foothill player stepped up - it was a team win. The Knights played one of their worst halves of soccer this season in the first half - tight, awkward, forced, and individual - but they came out and played one of their best team halves in the second. For their effort and determination they were rewarded with the win and the Tustin City Championship. This Knights team continues to improve and I look forward to watching them play in the second half of the season. The Knights have Fullerton away on Friday and the rain is supposed to be done by then. Come out and support Foothill Mens Soccer.