Soccer team gears up for season play
Head coach Juan Martinez is frustrated. His San Benito High boys
varsity soccer team is 0-3-2 but he believes they should be
undefeated.
Soccer team gears up for season play
Head coach Juan Martinez is frustrated. His San Benito High boys varsity soccer team is 0-3-2 but he believes they should be undefeated.
“We’re just not scoring,” he said. “We need to score. We control the ball, we control everything but we’re not scoring on the attack.”
Other than a blowout loss to Pajaro Valley in the season opener, all of the Baler games have been close.
“We’re playing alright but we’re not scoring. Eventually, we get frustrated and lose control of the game,” Martinez said.
Fortunately for Martinez and his squad they are still competing in the preseason against non-league teams and have until next Wednesday to get things together when they square off against Palma High School at home in the league opener on Dec. 13. The game is at 3:30 p.m.
Last year the Balers finished fifth in league but with defending league champion Live Oak no longer competing in the Tri County Athletic League, the league has softened some what and could open some doors for the more mediocre teams such as the Balers.
“This year Gilroy and North Salinas are probably going to be the strongest,” Martinez said. “Live Oak’s departure to San Jose (Blossom Valley Athletic League) has made the league a little weaker but we still have a lot of strong teams.”
Martinez is hoping that his team solves its scoring problems to the point that it becomes one of those strong teams as the season goes on. And that could happen based on the strong core group of players that San Benito High has.
This year senior Daniel Lozano will be handling duties in the goal box. Martinez put him in the high-profile position because of his competitive nature and athletic ability.
“He’s a good goalie but he just needs to start communicating better with our defenders,” he said. “As the goalie he is able to see the whole field and needs to communicate with the other players to let them know what is going on.”
One of those players that Martinez would like to see Lozano have better chemistry with is the team’s sweeper, Carlo Vasquez.
Vasquez’ main job this year is to stop the opposing team’s forwards as they look for a play in front of the Baler net. Martinez placed Vasquez in the position because of his strong ability to cover the whole backfield.
“He is very, very fast,” said Martinez, of his senior standout. “He’s one of our best defenders. He just needs to control the ball better. In the first few games he’s made too many mistakes.”
Martinez knows those mistakes and any others that any player in the Balers starting lineup makes will be extra costly when league play begins next week against the Chieftains, which is why he said he won’t hesitate to pull his starters or rearrange his lineup when league play begins.
“If I have to do that I will,” Martinez said. “I will do it if we don’t win any preseason games. This team can be good if we focus and concentrate and do what it takes to start winning.”
The Balers last preseason game – and last chance to right the ship – takes place Dec. 11 at home against Soquel at 3:30 p.m.
One player that has the talent to help the struggling Balers turn things around this season is senior Eddie Trujillo. A standout runner on the school’s cross-country team, Trujillo currently leads the Balers in scoring this year.
“He’s a good forward and he has a lot of skills,” Martinez said. “The only problem is that his two goals came on a penalty kick. We haven’t scored a single goal this season from the field. He’s really hungry, the whole team is hungry to score but we aren’t.”
In order to encourage more scoring, Martinez has even altered his game planning somewhat.
“I’m telling them one dribble and then take the shot. I don’t want any heroes out there; we want results. You can’t score if you’re not taking shots,” he said.
Another player that has shown a great deal of skill in the early going this season is senior midfielder Christian Mercado.
Martinez is pleased with Mercado’s ability to shore up and control the tempo of play in the midfield, but would like to see his passing skills improve.
Despite all of the early frustrations, the team’s goals haven’t changed.
“When the season started, I told them I expected them to finish in either first or second place in league and make the CCS,” Martinez said. “I believe they can still do it. They just need to play better and practice and keep working hard at it. Playing at a high level is what we expect from our kids every year. The way they are playing now they still have a ways to go.”
