Gutierrez's four-goal performance pushes Hueneme closer to another boys soccer title

Andres Gutierrez saved his best for Senior Night.

The Hueneme High senior playmaker had a spectacular four-goal performance as the host Vikings pulled closer to the Citrus Coast League boys soccer championship with a 5-0 win over second-place Fillmore on Monday night.

“Andres is a very special player,” Hueneme coach David Nava said.

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Dangerous in the penalty area and lethal on the break, Gutierrez piled in a first-half hat trick and added a fourth goal 10 minutes into the second half as Hueneme (13-3-2) improved to 7-0 in league play.

“We knew he was good,” Fillmore coach Jaime Alcaraz said. “The game plan was to stop (Gutierrez and forward Gerardo Aguilar).

“We couldn’t do that and he had a great performance. Got to give the kid credit and the rest of the team. … They were beautiful goals.”

Jesus Avendano added a goal, smashing home a slicing drive from 30 yards in the first half, and an assist, Enrique Robles had two assists, and Gerardo Aguilar and Edwin Lira also had assists.

“We’re playing great soccer, right now,” Nava said. “But we had things to work on still. These kids are amazing. Really, really special group … they put on a great performance.”

Fillmore (7-9-2, 5-2-1) entered play a game and a half behind Hueneme, needing a win to pull itself back into the race.

With the season extended due to the pandemic, both Fillmore and Hueneme will play makeup games on Wednesday and Saturday.

Hueneme, which has now outscored its league opponents 26-2, can clinch its fifth league title in six years by beating Carpinteria on Wednesday.

When Fillmore ended Hueneme’s five-year league title streak last year, Gutierrez missed the entire season with a hamstring injury.

“Missing last year because of my hamstring definitely hurt,” Gutierrez said. “I wanted to play and I just couldn’t.”

A year later, the talented senior underscored the type of difference his presence can make.

He tore through midfield to generate early chances that were saved by Fillmore goalkeeper Mariano Gonzalez.

“Mariano kept us in it,” Alcaraz said.

The Vikings’ opener arrived midway through the first half, when fullback Andy Rincon crossed from the right and Robles centered for Gutierrez to volley home.

Hueneme doubled its lead three minutes later. After Fillmore cleared a shot from a corner kick off its goal line, Avendano sliced a 30-yard drive into the top corner of the Flashes net.

Gutierrez finished a full-field counter attack to make it 3-0 and completed his hat trick before halftime with a drive from the right that crashed against the crossbar and landed over the goal line.

“This is my first hat trick ever,” Gutierrez said. “The four goals is great, especially on Senior Night.”

Gutierrez added a solo goal 10 minutes into the second half, running at the defense and finishing in the penalty area.

“I took him on when he was a freshman, when we had a really special group,” Nava said. “He was learning a lot from those guys. I think it really benefitted him.”

Joe Curley covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage of local high school sports, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Gutierrez's four goals lifts Hueneme boys soccer closer to league