Santana’s hat-trick underlined his importance to a Woodstock North side that remains unbeaten in conference competition.
Richmond-Burton struck first through Will Gardner in the 41st minute, but Santana levelled almost immediately by finishing Jorge Tapia Ortiz’s cross. He then converted a penalty in the 49th minute before completing the winner with a backward header from Ethan Richardson’s chipped delivery.
The junior midfielder also scored a school-record 30 goals during his sophomore season. His latest three-goal performance shows that Woodstock North still has a decisive attacking outlet when matches become tight.
The scoreline also reflected Richmond-Burton’s threat. Nick Kyes equalised in the 60th minute, and the visitors had opportunities to turn the game around.
Carbajal responded at the key moments:
The reigning KRC Goalkeeper of the Year gave Woodstock North the platform to survive the late pressure and claim another narrow victory.
Woodstock North moves to 10-2 overall and remains level at the top of the conference race with Harvard, also 4-0 in KRC play. Richmond-Burton drops to 3-2 in the league and 6-5 overall.
The next storyline arrives quickly: Woodstock North travels to Harvard on Monday. That meeting will place the conference’s two unbeaten sides against each other, with Santana’s finishing and Carbajal’s shot-stopping facing their biggest test of the season so far.