Crescenta Valley boys' soccer downs Arcadia, extends league lead

1/26

Crescenta Valley’s Yechan Kang and Arcadia’s Michael Van Haaster battle for the ball in the air in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

2/26

Crescenta Valley’s Ryan Sanfilippo takes advantage of slick ground and a small opening to shoot from distance and skip it into the Arcadia goal to score in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

3/26

Crescenta Valley’s Dallas Kaauwai and Arcadia’s Andrew Bobadilla battle for the ball near the Arcadia goal in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

4/26

Crescenta Valley’s Dallas Kaauwai and Arcadia’s Katsuki Inatomi battle for a header in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

5/26

Crescenta Valley’s Kyle Queseda tries to score on a crossing high ball that is punched clear by Arcadia’s goalie Tyler Berger in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

6/26

Crescenta Valley’s goalie Kevin Reid makes a save with offensive pressure from Arcadia’s Alexander Williams in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

7/26

Crescenta Valley’s Shayan Afzali and Arcadia’s Alexander Williams battle for the ball in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

8/26

Crescenta Valley’s Eric Cho heads the ball clear against Arcadia in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

9/26

Crescenta Valley’s Shayan Afzali, with Arcadia’s Emilio Ramirez falling on top of him, passes the ball in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

10/26

Crescenta Valley’s Dallas Kaauwai and Arcadia’s Andrew Bobadilla, on a crossing ball, battle the ball in the air in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

11/26

Arcadia’s Alexander Williams and Crescenta Valley’s Cameron Cuesta battle for the ball in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

12/26

Crescenta Valley’s head coach Grant Clark gives his team final instructions before the game against Arcadia in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

13/26

Crescenta Valley’s Ryan Sanfilippo battles and falls with Arcadia’s Griffin Howard defending in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

14/26

Crescenta Valley’s Ryan Sanfilippo and Tomik Baghramian battle with Arcadia’s Fernando Murillo on a corner kick in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

15/26

Crescenta Valley’s Kyle Queseda crosses the ball with pressure from Arcadia’s Alexander Williams in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

16/26

Crescenta Valley’s Cameron Cuesta tries to hold off Arcadia’s Alex Yen while dribbling the ball in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

17/26

Crescenta Valley’s Dallas Kaauwai passes off the bottom of his cleat toward the Arcadia goal in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

18/26

Crescenta Valley’s Dallas Kaauwai gets a toe on the ball to pass with pressure from Arcadia’s Emilio Ramirez in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

19/26

Crescenta Valley’s Kyle Queseda brings the ball up field with Arcadia’s Alexander Williams pursuing in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

20/26

Crescenta Valley’s Kevin Reid is able to clear the ball with pressure from the Arcadia offense in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

21/26

Crescenta Valley’s Cameron Cuesta cuts on Arcadia’s Jacob Tedford in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

22/26

Crescenta Valley’s Dallas Kaauwai rises for a header in the first half of the game against Arcadia in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

23/26

Crescenta Valley’s Elias Ayranjian is pursued by the Arcadia defense in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

24/26

Crescenta Valley’s head coach Grant Clark is all smiles as the game is nearing the end with this team leading Arcadia in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

25/26

Crescenta Valley’s Dallas Kaauwai traps the ball while on attach against Arcadia in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

26/26

Crescenta Valley’s goalie Kevin Reid makes a save in the gut off of an Arcadia shot in the second half in a rival Pacific League boys’ soccer game at Crescenta Valley High School on Friday, January 19, 2018. Crescenta Valley won the game 1-0 putting them in sole ownership of first place in the Pacific League. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

By Charles Rich

Jan. 19, 2018 8:30 PM PT

LA CRESCENTA — Perhaps dreary weather conditions bring out the best in the Crescenta Valley High boys’ soccer team. It’s seemed to be a blessing for the Falcons during Pacific League matches.

With a light drizzle falling throughout a key league match between Crescenta Valley and rival Arcadia on Friday, the Falcons got a first-half goal from Ryan Sanfilippo to earn a 1-0 home victory.

Crescenta Valley improved to 12-4-2, 7-0-1 in league for 22 points and extended its lead to six points over Arcadia (8-4-1, 5-2-1 for 16 points) and Burroughs (5-2-1 in league) with six matches left. The Falcons, ranked No. 10 in CIF Southern Section Division III, last won the league championship in 2012.

“It’s such a huge win and we now have some more breathing room,” Crescenta Valley coach Grant Clark said. “We’ve become used to playing in the rain and I think we’ve now played three league matches in the rain.

“When you add a little water to the rivalry with Arcadia, it spices things up a bit more. We feel like we are doing some of our best work in the rain.”

Sanfilippo, a senior forward, took a pass from Cameron Cuesta and beat the Arcadia goalkeeper with a 30-yard shot that appeared to skip off the playing surface in the 12th minute.

Crescenta Valley goalkeeper Kevin Reid, who came on to replace starter Sipan Arakelian at halftime, made four saves in the second half to preserve the victory. The Falcons have yielded just two goals in league, while scoring 25.

“It was a tough game, but we kept our heads up and stayed with it the whole time,” Sanfilippo said. “I got a great feed from Cameron and got a shot off that felt good when it left my foot.

“We know we have to keep playing well because there’s lots of time left [in league].”

The Apaches, ninth in Division V, nearly tied it in the 58th minute. However, Reid stopped a 25-yard shot by Fernando Murillo.

“We still need more points in league and we’re getting the points in games we should be winning,” Clark said. “We’re also finding ways to win some close games.”

The teams will wrap up league Feb. 8 at Arcadia.

charles.rich @latimes.com

Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich

Crescenta Valley boys’ soccer downs Arcadia, extends league lead