HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER

It would be an easy thing to convince Thousand Oaks soccer Coach Jerry Sawitz that good things come in small packages.

It was sophomore Tommy Troung who made him a believer. Troung, the squad’s smallest player, nailed a goal at the six-minute mark of the first 10-minute overtime period to put the Lancers past defending champion Foothill, 2-1, in the Southern Section 4-A quarterfinals Tuesday night at Thousand Oaks.

“I knew I could do it,” Troung said afterward. “I wanted to score that goal.”

Troung left the game earlier in the match because of a pulled muscle, and didn’t return until just before the end of regulation with the score tied at one. Sawitz, who lost leading scorer Gunner Hillner to illness, was glad when Troung returned to the game.

Foothill, ranked fifth, had a number of opportunities to win, but strong defensive play by Marty Woods and goalkeeper Tim Yates of Thousand Oaks put the game into overtime.

In the semifinals, Thousand Oaks (20-5-3) will play the winner of the Rolling Hills-Culver City match. Foothill (21-5) is the Century League champion.