Honkers held back in Corning

The Willows High boys soccer team marched into Corning Tuesday with an undefeated 8-0-1 record to face the reigning Division I champion Cardinals.

The Honkers did not leave town the same way they came.

Despite trailing 1-0, 2-1 and 3-1 in the first half, the Honkers headed into the break locked in a 3-3 stalemate with the hosts. Corning scored both second-half goals to post a 5-3 win.

Corning scored at just two minutes in, but eight minutes later, the Honkers' Raudel Ruiz scored his first goal of the season with the benefit of an assist by Francisco Zepeda.

The Cardinals scored less than a minute later to regain the lead, and added another three minutes later to push their advantage to 3-1.

At the 26-minute mark, Fernando Cervantes also tallied his first goal of the season when he found a loose ball in the penalty box, making it 3-2. Later in the half, Corning's goalie botched a save attempt and David Gonzales capitalized for his fifth goal of the season and the 3-3 tie.

The Cardinals scored a pair of second-half goals, one on a penalty kick and one more in the 35th minute.

Jose Barajas made nine saves for Willows (9-1-1, 2-0 SVL-One).

Girls

The Lady Honkers were unable to find the back of the net in a 5-0 loss, as Corning scored twice in the first half and netted three more goals in the second.

"That is what happens when you don't get the right practice," said Willows coach Bud Ramirez, "we had a real bad week of it and none the week before."

The Lady Honkers are 2-6-2 overall and 1-1-1 in SVL-One.

Willows travels to Live Oak on Tuesday, and plays Thursday in Los Molinos.