CITY SECTION BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP: EL CAMINO REAL MAKES IT A DOUBLE TOP SEED WINS TO REPEAT AS CITY CHAMP ECR 2, ROOSEVELT 0.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

To some El Camino Real High boys' soccer players, the word seemed too strong. But after winning their second consecutive City Section title and third in four years, others were free to call the accomplishment a dynasty.

Many did, jumping up and down and shouting that word after the top-seeded Conquistadores of Woodland Hills beat No. 15 Roosevelt of Los Angeles 2-0 Saturday at UCLA.

``It's the beginning of one,'' senior goalie Raul Calderon declared.

Coach David Hussey wasn't sure if the word was being used correctly. ``But if we get that moniker,'' he said, ``the kids earned it.''

It's only the third time in the 30 years of City boys' soccer a team has won two in a row. El Camino Real joins Belmont of Los Angeles as the only other program to win three titles in four years. Belmont won three of four between 1994-97, although the '94 title was vacated because the Sentinels used an ineligible player.

This title was especially sweet for the Conquistadores (25-3-3). They lost 16 seniors from last season, and other schools didn't give them much of a chance to repeat.

However, what skeptics didn't realize was that last year's juniors were probably the best players on the 2001 team.

Three in particular stood out Saturday. Forward Jason Lara scored both goals - in the seventh and 65th minutes - giving him 29 for the season. Midfielder Gianni Facio assisted on the second goal when - after Roosevelt goalie Paulo Jimenez's short kick - he beat a defender to the ball, broke down the left side and passed across the penalty area to a wide-open Lara on the right side. And Calderon made three clutch saves.

Of course, other players contributed too, taking advantage of defensive lapses by Roosevelt (17-6-3) to apply pressure, using the entire field to make space and having enough defenders back to neutralize the Rough Riders' speed up front. Twice, defenders kicked away balls that otherwise would have gone in the net.

``This means a lot,'' Facio said. ``My friend told me, `A (championship) ring is like a trophy. You wear it if you want, but it's yours and no one else can take it away from you.' ''

In 1997, Belmont beat El Camino Real. Belmont coach Nancy Carr-Swaim, asked Saturday which program would win, declined to answer, saying, ``It's like comparing apples to oranges.''

Still, ECR ranked favorably in her mind.

``They have a lot of depth, a lot of experience,'' Carr-Swaim said. ``They play well together. They're fast, strong, aggressive. This ECR team might've been a little better than the one we played in '97.''