On Nov. 22, the boys soccer team (2-1-1 overall)* defeated Half Moon Bay (0-1 overall)* 2-1.
None of the team’s seniors played because many were still playing club soccer or were out due to injuries. The Dons conceded a goal in the first half, but freshman midfielder Miguel Chavez connected with a corner kick from junior attacking midfielder Brenden Pineda to tie the game at 1-1 before halftime.
The Dons seemed to have even more energy in the second half, causing many giveaways by Half Moon Bay at the back. The team kept the pressure up throughout the half until freshman forward Ramon Diaz headed home a well-placed cross from junior defender and midfielder Anthony Alatta.
“We have to work hard, we have to defend well and I think the results come from that”
Head Coach Joe Rousseau was proud of the team, especially the younger players.
“[The game was] amazing,” Rousseau said. “[We are] still missing our entire upper class. A lot of the freshmen have been playing and have been putting in a really good performance, so it’s not just promising for this season, but also for the future.”
The boys soccer team is back on the field ready to compete, looking to continue its success after winning the Peninsula Athletic League, Bay Division, last season.
“Our goal this year is to replicate [last season],” Rousseau said. “We want to … have a good preseason, compete for another league title … and get back in the [Central Coast Section] Open Division and try and compete again. We had an early exit last season and we want to try [to] go deeper.”
This season, there are 10 seniors, some of whom are playing on varsity for the first time. However, senior co-captain and center midfielder Brendan Sinclair is confident the Dons have what it takes to defend their title.
“[The goal is] to win the league,” Sinclair said. “Again, we have a really strong program … with a lot of talented players. If we work hard, we have the players to [win].”
Rousseau’s strategy ismainly based on hard work and organization.
“My biggest thing is work ethic,” Rousseau said. “I think the game can [be played] in a lot of different ways. But for me, we have to work hard, we have to defend well and I think the results come from that.”
Defending isn’t always easy for Dons in a league where long balls and direct play are favored.
“We’ve had some really physical players in the past and really tall players,” Sinclair said. “We lost a lot of that in the graduating class.”
However, the team is working hard on improving their defensive skills.
“We work on defending at practices all the time,” said senior co-captain and center attacking midfielder Alexis Villanueva. “All we did at practice for … two days was … drills for dropping back when the ball is kicked. It’s always defensive drills which … help us a lot.”
The team relies on speed in addition to their hard work. If they stay organized defensively, they are able to use their fast attackers to hit their opposition with quick counter attacks.
“This league is very physical,” Sinclair said. “We have to use [our] speed to get in behind and try to suck teams in and then get them on the counter.”
Both Rousseau and the players agree that chemistry and the positive environment are what make them a winning team.
“I’m big on team chemistry … [and] team bonding, so I try [to] do a lot of that stuff throughout preseason [to] get them used to playing with each other,” Rousseau said. “I want it to be like a family here. That’s the important part.”
Rousseau’s philosophy has a big impact on the team.
“The environment … is goofy and positive,” Villanueva said. “No one’s negative with each other. Everybody gets along, even though it’s a new team. When there is more team bonding, everybody will get close together.”
Sinclair couldn’t agree more with his teammates.
“For the last couple years, [the team] has been a really cohesive unit where we spend a lot of time together,” Sinclair said. “We do activities together [to] … try to build chemistry. It’s really important that we have a positive environment. It’s okay to … be constructive with each other … [but] we never get down on each other. We always try to … build each other up.”
With an exciting season ahead, the team is looking forward to playing against their rivals.
“San Mateo [is a] big rivalry game,” Rousseau said. “Everyone looks forward to that game because everyone knows everyone and it has been intense the last couple of years. Menlo-Atherton is always an intense game, [as well as] Burlingame. Those three … are going to be the really good games this year.”
With their speed, hard work and positive environment, the boys soccer team is aiming to retain its title.
The team’s next match is away against Palo Alto (1-1 overall)* on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.
*Records as of Dec. 6
