Through wind and rain, Granite Hills punches a ticket to the CIF-SS semis

With steady rain blowing sideways and chilly temperatures, goalkeeper Phoenix Ragen stood alone in the box Tuesday night and simply trusted his gut. The sophomore made two saves in a penalty-kick shootout, and Granite Hills boys soccer defeated Cypress 4-2 after a scoreless draw in regulation in the quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 playoffs. In brutal second-half conditions that featured rain, swirling wind and biting cold, neither team could break through over 80 minutes. The match ultimately relied on Ragen’s...