JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers IMPENETRABLE- Newbury Park High senior goalkeeper Troy Williams, left, makes a diving save during the Panthers' CIF-SS Division I boys' soccer final Saturday against Santa Margarita. A nearperfect effort from senior goalkeeper Troy Williams and the Newbury Park High defense wasn't enough to lift the Panther boys' soccer team to its first CIF-Southern Section title in program history.

Newbury Park, champions of the Marmonte League, lost to Santa Margarita 10 Saturday afternoon in the CIF-SS Division I final at Warren High in Downey.

Santa Margarita, Division I co-champions in 2006 and 2007, scored its only goal of the contest in the 57th minute on a header by senior forward Mike Munoz off a corner kick.

Without Williams between the pipes, however, NPHS may have allowed several scores to the high-powered Eagles.

"Troy Williams was the MVP, the Most Valuable Player of the match," Panther senior forward Vinny Muscarella said. "He made so many saves. He's the one that kept us in this game. Without Troy in this game, we would've been killed, destroyed."

Newbury Park head coach Guy Sanford, who led the Panthers to their first CIF finals appearance since losing to Royal High in 1988, said Williams' intensity was undeniable.

"In the playoffs (Williams) has gotten better and better every game," Sanford said. "Today he wanted it so bad, you could just tell. He was willing to give everything he had- and he did. You just can't say enough about Troy."

Held in check for much of the first half by a defense that allowed one postseason goal in five games, the NPHS offense mustered several scoring opportunities after intermission.

Phillip Muscarella, Vinny's younger brother, got in close on net in the 47th minute but misfired. Just after Santa Margarita scored its goal, Vinny Muscarella nearly had the equalizer for Newbury Park, but the Santa Margarita goalkeeper made a diving save to thwart the chance.

With less than 10 minutes to play, Vinny Muscarella had one final opportunity at a near-empty Eagle net but couldn't knock in an up-for-grabs header.

Still, despite Santa Margarita's size and physical style, Vinny Muscarella said his team never conceded an inch to the Eagles.

"They're big. They're intimidating," he said. "But as soon as we got in the game and the butterflies were gone, I didn't think anything of it. I'm not one to look at someone who's bigger than me and be scared. I go in at 100 percent, no matter if it's a little kid or a big guy. That's how we play."

Senior forward/midfielder David Matic said the Panthers' playoff ride was full of magical moments.

"We had a great run and didn't really expect to get this far," Matic said. "It's unfortunate we couldn't come up with the win, but we're still very proud of ourselves."

On Tuesday, Newbury Park (12-6-4) lost to Santa Monica 21 in the firstever CIF Southern California Regional Soccer Championships.