Sophomore scores lone goal as unbeaten Harbor edges rival SC

Harbor High's boys soccer team remains unbeaten in league with one match remaining

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Sophomore Sai Nguyen scored the lone goal in the 64th minute, and Harbor High's boys soccer team edged rival Santa Cruz 1-0 in the teams' Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League match on Wednesday night. The win helped keep the Pirates, ranked No. 6 in the Central Coast Section and No. 52 in the state, unbeaten in league with one match remaining.

Why it matters

This was a key league matchup between two top teams, with Harbor looking to remain unbeaten and Santa Cruz trying to keep pace in the standings. The close, hard-fought nature of the game highlights the competitive nature of the league and the importance of each match for the teams' playoff positioning.

The details

Nguyen's fourth goal of the season came on a free kick taken by Mateo Ortega from 40 yards out. Santa Cruz put five of its 18 total shots on goal, but Harbor goalkeeper Max Cuevas made four saves to preserve the shutout. The Pirates' defense has been stifling, recording their fifth straight clean sheet and 12th overall this season.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.
  • Harbor hosts Aptos on Friday, February 14, 2026 to close the regular season.

The players

Sai Nguyen

A sophomore who scored the lone goal for Harbor High in the 64th minute.

Mateo Ortega

A Harbor High player who took the free kick that led to Nguyen's goal.

Michael Vahradian

The head coach of the Harbor High boys soccer team.

Stephen Yee

The junior goalkeeper for Santa Cruz High who made nine saves in the game.

Max Cuevas

The goalkeeper for Harbor High who made four saves and helped the team record their fifth straight clean sheet.

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What they’re saying

“It was an extremely gritty game. Credit to Santa Cruz for how fast and hard it played. It felt like a playoff game with both teams pushing and playing end to end for 80 minutes.”

— Michael Vahradian, Head Coach, Harbor High (The Tribune)

What’s next

Harbor hosts Aptos on Friday, February 14, 2026 to close the regular season. Santa Cruz closes its SCCAL action at San Lorenzo Valley on Friday.

The takeaway

This hard-fought league matchup between two top teams highlights the competitive nature of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League. Harbor's ability to grind out a close victory and remain unbeaten shows the depth and resilience of the team, which will be important as they look to make a deep playoff run.