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Epic battle ends with Phoenix at head of District 6 Photo by Drew Fleming Phoenix goalie Anthony Machado, left, meets his teammates after the game's lone goal. By KRIS HENRY Like two top prizefighters battling it out, the Phoenix and St. Mary's boys soccer teams left nothing on the field Thursday as they waged war for the District 6 Conference crown. Led by seniors Sean Cowley, Jesse Shorland and Masaya Yano, the Pirates jabbed at the Crusaders with constant pressure on offense. St. Mary's countered with an impressive defensive display as goalkeeper Andrew Lunt kept his team's chances alive by deflecting each threat. But as the two teams sloshed through the slippery St. Mary's High turf, an unlikely hero finally surfaced one minute into the second overtime as Phoenix triumphed, 1-0. Carlos Corona had already been stellar. The senior defender persistently patrolled the midfield, thwarting Crusader scoring efforts in the blink of an eye. But it was his first goal of the season -- on an indirect kick in the second overtime -- that made him the hero. After sophomore David Peterson tapped the ball left, Corona dodged a rushing wall of St. Mary's defenders and slipped a low line drive off an outstretched defender and past Lunt for the game's only goal. "I was looking to pass, but I switched it back and took the shot, hoping it would go in -- and it did," Corona said. "That's my biggest goal ever. It's fantastic." Phoenix capped an undefeated District 6 season at 7-0-2. St. Mary's dropped into second place at 7-2-0. The conference title was especially sweet for Pirate coach Dennis Flenner. A year ago, Phoenix won only two District 6 games, finishing eighth. "This is super fantastic," he said. "We turned it around with basically the same players. These guys have heart. "My heart just fell to the ground when Carlos made that shot." After being dominated in regulation, the Crusaders finally put together an offensive attack in the 10-minute overtime periods -- only to have Phoenix goalkeeper Anthony Machado answer the challenge. The junior's sprawling save in the closing seconds proved to be his finest as he snared a sure goal inches in front of the goal line. Machado was spared from action for most of the game by a suffocating defensive crew led by sophomore Al Albright, junior Lane Munroe, senior Jaime Bugarin and freshman Chris Swann. The first true scoring opportunity for St. Mary's came in the last two minutes of regulation play as junior Kawika Victor sent a cross to junior Brian Staver, whose header sailed over the defenders but right to Machado. Senior Gabe Shonerd and sophomore Peter Staver each sailed shots wide in the first overtime for the Crusaders. "My guys were looking too much for the perfect pass and for the perfect goal," said St. Mary's coach Eric Wolff. "Our first look is always to look for the pass and not for the shot, and today we needed a few more shots." Machado's uneventful day was in direct contrast to the hectic pace Lunt was put through. The senior Crusader was peppered with shot after shot but responded splendidly. "They have a goalie that's fantastic," Flenner said of Lunt. "He stole us blind out here." Wolff also credited Lunt with keeping his team in the game. "Andrew is certainly one of the best goalies in the league and he has been for the past three years," he said. "Two years ago he carried our team quite a bit, last year he had seven shutouts and this year 10 shutouts. I don't know of any other goalie who has 19 shutouts for his career." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.