LJ b soccer 3, Helix 3 (LJ won on penalty kicks)

Senior Takumi Nishikawa got a replacement

penalty kick that helped forge La Jolla's

4-3 win over Helix in the CIF

quarterfinals.

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Tai Nguyen called out to the referees that Helix's goalkeeper was out of position when Viking Takumi Nishikawa's penalty kick failed.

The officials gave the senior Nishikawa another chance, and he made good on his replacement kick.

Meanwhile, defensively, after Takumi's kick kept La Jolla's skein perfect in netting their first four penalty kicks after overtime in the CIF Division 3 semifinal playoff game, Nguyen, the Vikings' senior keeper, stopped the Highlanders' fourth and fifth kicks to secure the win.

"It was an intense game," said Viking forward Andrew Estrella.

Coach Marcos Gonzales's squad, the defending CIF Division 4 champion, held a 2-1 edge after a half, but things were tied at 3 at the end of two halves. It took two overtimes before the penalty kick phase kicked into play.

The Vikings advanced with a bye in the first round to the semifinal game on the strength of their top seed in the playoff bracket. Helix, under Coach Joaquin Huertero, was the ninth seed. The Highlanders defeated Gompers 1-0 Tues., Feb. 21, on a "golden goal" (sudden death) in overtime.