by Kylie Gifford
The varsity boys’ soccer team has kicked off the season with high hopes for another successful year in the WCAL. After several preseason games, the Warriors began their league season with a battle against the Mitty Monarchs on December 7. Head coach John Basanese, along with assistant coaches Donny Fugate and David Fugate, are excited about the excellent group of both new and returning players they have this year.
The team was finalized on November 2, and the goals and expectations for the season were set at the first team dinner the following evening. This year, in addition to several new upper classmen, the coaches are excited to welcome freshmen goalie Austin Mansker and forward Alex de Leon onto the Varsity team. Under the leadership of senior captains Ross Mark and Nathan Goldsmith, both third-year Varsity players, the boys are working towards improving their skills, their fitness, and their teamwork; as a result, they are quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the WCAL.
The Warriors had only two short weeks after the conclusion of tryouts to prepare for their first game. Soon after the WCAL Jamboree on November 18, the Varsity team faced Gunn, their first preseason opponent, at their home field on November 20. The Warriors were able to dominate this CCS powerhouse for much of the first half, scoring the first goal twenty minutes into the game. A free kick taken by Mark from nearly midfield was right on target, catching Gunn’s defense off guard and bouncing past the keeper into the goal. A few minutes later, sophomore midfielder Kevin Tarangioli completed a perfect pass to senior forward Aaron Hutton, who effortlessly shot the ball past the oncoming keeper for a second Warrior goal. Gunn fought back, scoring two late goals to achieve a 2-2.
By the next game against Leigh on November 22, the Warriors had regained their full starting roster. Though they were able to dominate the Longhorns throughout the entire game and the defense only allowed two shots by their opponent, VC suffered an unfortunate 0-1 loss.
Just a few days later, the boys faced Wilcox at Willow Glen High School. Once again, the Warriors retained constant control of the field; this time, however, the offense stepped up to the plate. Goals by seniors Ryan Favre, John Field, Aaron Hutton, and Kegan Garrison were enough, sparking a 4-0 victory. The following week, the Warriors faced Evergreen and Santa Cruz. Though they were unable to overcome these opponents, resulting in two losses, the boys took these opportunities to determine the areas they needed to work on in order to prepare themselves for the start of the league season.
The Warriors faced Los Gatos at their very first night game of the year. Knowing that this CCS favorite was going to prove to be a tough match, VC rose to the challenge. The Warriors held their own throughout the game and fired shot after shot, but a lucky shot from their opponent ended the game in a close 0-1 loss.
The Warriors had little time to recover, as league season began a mere two days later. VC traveled to Mitty to face the Monarchs on their home field. The boys had looked forward to this game with much anticipation, and they took the field ready to give everything they had. Mitty, who has come to be known as one of the toughest teams in the league, were clearly caught off-guard by the Warriors’ intensity. Toward the middle of the second half, Hutton managed to steal the ball from a Monarch defender and cross it directly in front of the goal, where junior John Walitsch directed it in for a VC goal. For the duration of the half, the Warriors fought off Mitty’s offense, leaving the score at 1-0 in their favor at half time.
After an intense pep talk from Mark and Goldsmith, the Warriors began the second half with even more intensity than the first. Though they were unable to bury another goal, VC valiantly defended their own territory, shutting down the Monarch offense and ending the game with a 1-0 victory—only the second win at Mitty in Valley Christian soccer history. For Mansker, who played a large part in keeping the ball out of the Warrior net with fourteen brilliant saves, this game marked the first shutout of his high school soccer career.
With the momentum from this huge win, the Warriors went into their next game against Sacred Heart Cathedral with the same amount of intensity. The boys struggled a bit in the first half, but gave up nothing to their opponent and maintained a 0-0 tie. In the second half, however, the Warriors stepped it up. A goal by Mark, assisted by Goldsmith, and another by junior forward Jordan Pereira, assisted by de Leon, concluded the game with a score of 2-0 in VC’s favor.
With a strong league record of 2-0, the Warriors approach the rest of the season with confidence and, more importantly, heart. The varsity boys soccer team looks forward to the rest of the season, and great things are expected from them in the many games still to come.
[Go Back]
