By Ivan Orozco TODAY'S LOCAL NEWS 10:21 a.m. March 9, 2008 SCOTT LINNETT / Union-Tribune

DOWNEY – Ian Weinberg stared into the distance yesterday.

The Poway senior goalkeeper tried to comprehend what had just transpired.

Weinsberg had just picked himself up from the artificial grass after he watched a rolling ball make its way into his net.

That ball ended the Poway boys soccer team's chance at a Southern California Division I regional championship with a 2-1 overtime loss to Santa Monica at Warren High.

Weinsberg couldn't reach Santa Monica midfielder Juan Magana's shot, which was redirected by a Titans defender to the left of a diving Weinsberg for a 90th-minute golden goal.

“It was a loose ball in the box; somebody got a piece of it and I just saw it roll in there,” said Weinsberg. “It's just unlucky. It's pretty bad. I just sat there and stared off into space.”

Magana's goal secured a Vikings undefeated season and put a sudden halt to the Titans' improbable regional bracket run. Poway, the San Diego Division I champion, made it through the eight-team state regional as the No. 7 seed, knocking out No. 3 Fresno Roosevelt and No. 2 Santana Saddleback in penalty kicks, both on the road.

Yesterday's match looked to be heading into penalty kicks after both teams used a fluid brand of soccer up and down the field during the 15-minute sudden-death overtime period.

The Titans (22-3-4) tied the game at 1-1 with a Collin Wooster score in the 48th minute after he sent in a loose ball from the right side.

The Vikings (29-0-1) opened the scoring in the 47th minute with a Ricky Martinez header.

“What a ride, I'm speechless,” said Poway coach Gene Morris. “We don't think they're better than us. The L.A. Times said we'd lose 3-0. They gave us no respect. We came in here and I thought we were maybe the better team. We had so many chances on throw-ins and corners. We just couldn't put the ball in the net.”

Titans midfielder E.J Schneekluth had an open shot in the 36th minute and sent a blast from about 15 yards out off the crossbar of the football goal post – inches above the Santa Monica goal.

Despite the loss, Morris said he felt goose bumps when the season-ending goal crossed the line.

"We were so close from stealing this from them,” Morris said. “It's the best run in school history. I'm so proud of these guys. It's a tough one to swallow.”

Below photo - Santa Monica's Nicholas Ferro grabs Collin Wooster's shirt to interrupt a Poway advance. Santa Monica beat Poway 2-1 in overtime Saturday in the boys Southern California Division I regional championship.