The result was the same. But the feeling was noticeably
different. Less than a week after it tied Stevenson 4-4 on the
road, in a game that it trailed 3-0 through the first 10 minutes of
regulation, the San Benito boys’ soccer team tied North Salinas 1-1
Tuesday in the Tri-County Athletic League opener, in a game that,
at times, appeared to be in control by the Balers.
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HOLLISTER
The result was the same. But the feeling was noticeably different.
Less than a week after it tied Stevenson 4-4 on the road, in a game that it trailed 3-0 through the first 10 minutes of regulation, the San Benito boys’ soccer team tied North Salinas 1-1 Tuesday in the Tri-County Athletic League opener, in a game that, at times, appeared to be in control by the Balers.
Again, same result. But it didn’t necessarily feel like it.
“It was a better feeling (against Stevenson) because the guys showed they didn’t want to lose the game,” San Benito head coach Tony Deras said. “Today, they didn’t show that they wanted it.”
The tie, of course, keeps the Balers undefeated this season at 6-0-2 overall, 0-0-1 in the TCAL. But Deras is seeking his team to refocus as league play gets under way, and the team’s lengthy postgame meeting on Tuesday was said to drive home that point.
“We need to focus on the whole game,” Deras said. “It seems frustrations got to us (on Tuesday).”
San Benito’s frustrations on Tuesday resulted in three yellow cards and, especially in the second half, yielded several high-percentage scoring opportunities for the Vikings (5-2-1, 0-0-1) to net the go-ahead goal.
Much of North Salinas’ attack, at least in the first half, revolved around the speed of Alberto Garcia, the team’s leading scorer who staked the Vikings to a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute on Tuesday, despite the Balers controlling the midfield early on in the game.
“We knew their key players,” Deras said.
But occasionally penetrating San Benito’s back line with a long-ball pass and pure speed, a technique that helped net Garcia the game’s first goal, North High managed to build more of a team approach to its offense late in the game, and it yielded two of the better opportunities by either team to break the 1-all tie.
The result saw one Garcia shot sail wide left, while another, with Garcia pinching in toward the box from the right side, bounced parallel just inches from the goal line.
Nevertheless, San Benito managed to control the midfield for much of the game, and it responded just two minutes after North High grabbed the early lead in the first half.
Receiving a pass from Steven Mercado on the left side, Ivan Martinez drilled a straight-on shot to the right side of the net that kissed off the crossbar and bounced in — a shot from roughly 30 yards out.
But after two combined goals through 10 minutes of play, San Benito and North Salinas each went quiet for the remaining 70 minutes on Tuesday, despite the Balers controlling the midfield for much of the game and the Vikings routinely making transition runs down the side of the field.
Last Thursday, it was a far different scenario, as the Balers trailed Stevenson 3-0 through 10 minutes of play.
San Benito first found the scoreboard in the opening half when Martinez set up Francisco Palomino for a header, but Stevenson tacked on another goal before halftime to take a 4-1 lead at the break.
“But we just picked up the pace in the second half,” Deras said.
Palomino, who scored all four goals for the Balers in the game, scored three second-half goals last Thursday, two on free kicks, to bring San Benito roaring back. The San Benito forward even netted the 4-4 equalizer in the last five minutes of regulation.
It was the same outcome as Tuesday’s battle with North High. But again, it was a far different feeling, as a frustrating game play for the Balers took them away from playing fundamental soccer.
“Be confident. Trust your teammates,” Deras said. “When you get frustrated, you’re not gonna be able to think or focus.”
TEAM 1 2 F
NS 1 0 1
SB 1 0 1
Note:
San Benito will visit Salinas (6-0-1, 1-0-0 TCAL) on Thursday night. Kick-off is 5:15 p.m.
