BOYS’ SOCCER SPORT SHORTS, 2010-11–
(Latest boys’ soccer shorts will be at the top of the section. Scroll down to check out past results. Tournament games do not count toward win/loss record. Visit the Sports Section for boys’ soccer features).
Be sure to visit the 2010-11 boys’ soccer schedule, home page, roster page, or check out Maxpreps.com. FC finished 4-16-3 overall and 0-8-0 in the West Sequoia League.
BOYS’ SOCCER, 2010-11
SEASON END
CARUTHERS OVERPOWERS EAGLES–Feb. 11
The Eagles traveled to play the Caruthers Blue Raiders for their final game of the season. The Blue Raiders previously escaped with a 2-1 against FC, Jan. 25, so the Eagles hoped for some redemption, but failed to earn the win as they lost 9-0, Feb. 11.
Junior keeper Josh hopper feels there is not to much to say about the loss except a lack of stability in the defense and midfield due to injury.
“2-1 to 9-0 seems pretty crazy and like ‘what happened?’,” Hopper said. “A big part of it is [junior] Sean Carter was out and so their was major lack of direction in the middle of the field. Then with Mitch Weibert [junior] also out and when Austin Rurik [junior] got hurt in the second half, we had little direction in the back of the field.”
Despite going 0-8 in league, the Eagles took second place at the 21st Annual Garces Holiday Tournament for the first time, Dec. 17-18. Hopper says that after the pre-season he had high hopes for league, but with the loss of freshman goalie Elijah Beukers and injuries it all went down hill.
“In the beginning of the season I was excited because we were learning sort of a new style of play,” Hopper said. “The first couple of tournaments were kind of rough, but by Garces we pulled it together and I was seeing offense working and defense were becoming more and more solid. After Garces I was pretty pumped and I hoped to beat Fowler and Parlier this year, but then it didn’t really happen.”
Head coach Matt Markarian says he looks forward to next year as this year there was no seniors on the team and he will have many returning players.
“Considering we had no seniors our season was not bad, and combine that with the exceptionally strong teams in our league, it was not a bad season,” Markarian said. “I look forward to having a strong season next year. The return of 4 year starters Sean Carter, Austin Rurik and Josh Hopper will be the foundation to a playoff push next year.”
FOWLER COMES OUT ON TOP AGAINST FC–Feb. 10
The Eagles traveled to take on the Fowler Redcats for the second time and once again fell behind and lost, 4-0, Feb. 10.
Assistant coach Greg Hessler says he has seen vast development among the team and it showed in the game despite the loss.
“There has been a huge improvement from previous games until now,” Hessler said. “We are participating in the play more is the difference. We are getting to the ball quicker and creating more pressure on the other team.”
Freshman Chris Chon felt though that if they exhibited more composure when they received the ball, there could have been a difference in the game.
We were just getting the ball and kicking it and not looking to pass and distribute,” Chon said. “So we were playing defense the whole time. If we slow down and pass and go, pass and go, it’ll be a lot better.”
The final game of the Eagles’ season will be at Caruthers, Feb. 11, whom they previously lost 2-1 to in the last ten minutes of the game, Jan. 25. Chon says that with their extra subs they will be able to keep their intensity throughout the entire game and pull out a win.
“Last time we were actually winning 1-0 at the beginning,” Chon said, “but lost 2-1 at the end because we were all getting tired and the midfield couldn’t get back. We’ll do better this time because we have more subs and we won’t get as tired.”
The Eagles will next travel to play Caruthers for the final game of the season, Feb. 11.
FC SHUTOUT AT TRANQUILLITY–Feb. 8
The Eagles traveled to play the Tranquillity Tigers for a non-league match and only had one shot on goal as they lost 9-0, Feb. 8.
Junior forward Tae Min Oh says the Tigers controlled the majority of the game, putting up shot after shot on keeper Josh Hopper, ’12.
“They’re passing and shooting was amazing,” Oh said. “We didn’t mark their attackers and we just couldn’t win the ball. We were scared of their playing and we needed to be aggressive.”
Oh hopes that with their last two games he personally can play with a good touch and the team play with intensity.
“I want to just have a good pass, make a chance to get a goal and be more aggressive,” Oh said. “As a team we need to work hard and be responsible for marking your own guy and defend.”
The Eagles will next travel to play Fowler, Feb. 10.
EAGLES FALL TO COWBOYS–Feb. 4
The Eagles hosted the Riverdale Cowboys for their last home game of the season and despite having substitutes, FC still lost 6-1, Feb. 4.
Marking back Scott Jennings, ’12, says that he had hopes prior to the game of pulling out a win, but as the game began his view changed.
“I thought we were going to do better because we had subs and more energy because we would sub out throughout the game and be able to play better,” Jennings said. “When they scored I just thought ‘oh great it’s gonna be the same as last time’. They’re just a really good team no matter the circumstances.”
As one of the new players to come out, Josh Grinage, ’12, says that for it being his first time playing structured soccer it was enjoyable despite the loss.
“I’ve never really played an organized game of soccer before, but I liked it,” Grinage said. “Before playing in the games I didn’t really like it that much because I thought it was boring, but once you play it it’s a lot more fun. In a way the ability to go out there and play. You play you’re heart out and even if you do lose, if you give it you’re all, you will have fun.”
With three games left on the road, Jennings says that they have potential to overcome Caruthers for their last game as they previously lost, 2-1, Jan. 25.
“Last year, Tranquillity was pretty tough because it was raining and stuff so I kind of expect the same result as last year, but we’ll see,” Jennings said. “Against Caruthers we’ll have a better chance because last time we just had absolutely no energy at the end and could have won.”
PARLIER SHUTS OUT FC, 4-0–Feb. 3
For the rescheduled game of the cancellation on Jan. 13, the Eagles hosted the Parlier Panthers after just losing 5-0, Feb. 1. The Panthers came out on to again, winning, 4-0, Feb. 3.
FC recruited nine more players to finish the season, making a squad of 17 as junior Mitch Weibert and Sean Carter are out due to injury. Despite this Parlier knocked in a goal part way through the first half on a penalty kick and the once more to end the half, 2-0. In the second half, the Panthers scored two more goals, one off of a penalty kick again to end the game, 4-0.
As a new player, freshman David Taylor intended to come out in the beginning of the season, but had bad grades and was unable to play. Now though, he hopes to keep his grades up so he can participate in the next season.
“I really miss soccer and the only reason I didn’t start from the beginning was because my mom wouldn’t let me and I had bad grades in math,” Taylor said. “It was really hard going out there not knowing everyone and tough running up and down the field against this good. Now I actually do want to play next year.”
Junior Hieu Le says that with the new players they will be able to improve each game and potentially have the opportunity to win a game in league.
“I think we could have had a chance to win because the first time we played them we ran out of people, but yesterday we had lots of people so it was kind of fun,” Le said. “The new kids don’t know what the plays are and they kind of were confused, but if we know each other better it’ll be better. I think we have a chance to win today because we have new people and we know each other a little better.”
The Eagles will next host Riverdale for the final home game of the season, Feb. 4.
EAGLES OVERWHELMED AWAY AT PARLIER–Feb. 1
The Eagles traveled to face off against the Parlier Panthers after coming off of a narrow 2-1 loss to Caruthers, Jan. 25. FC hoped to pull out a first league win, but the Panthers had their own incentives as it was their senior night and won the game 5-0, Feb. 1.
Sophomore first year varsity athlete, Dominic Mendoza says in their previous game against Caruthers, they came out with intensity, but against Parlier it was a different story. They were lacking fervency and need to work on moving the ball around the field.
“I think we connected a lot better against Caruthers than we did against Parlier,” Mendoza said. “Maybe the home field advantage helped a little bit because we had our own home crowd and we were just more ready for the game. We just got to get used to the fact that we’re a young team and that we really need to start passing the ball better and opening it to the wings with through balls and stuff.”
Assistant coach Greg Hessler felt his team let Parlier walk over them and control the game without facing much of a fight from the Eagles.
“We need to understand that working hard and playing well are two different things,” Hessler said. “Most times we were too afraid to challenge for the ball as we got super lazy and allowed them to dominate us all over the field. The difference between the two games was the level of control; we had absolutely no control in the game today.”
The Eagles will next host Parlier at home for their rescheduled game, Feb. 3.
FC AT FOWLER, CANCELED–Jan. 28
The Eagles were going to travel to take on the Fowler Redcats, but due to FC players injuries and illness, the game was canceled, Jan. 28 and rescheduled to Feb. 10.
The Eagles will next travel to play Parlier on Feb. 1.
CARUTHERS FACILITATES COMEBACK WIN AGAINST FC–Jan. 25
The Eagles hosted the Caruthers Blue Raiders for their second home game of the season. Junior Tae Min Oh scored early on in the first half for the Eagles and they held their 1-0 lead until the last ten minutes of the game. Caruthers pushed players up and knocked in two goals, winning, 2-1, Jan. 25.
Outside midfielders, Zed Fries, ’12, says overall they worked well together, but by the end of the game began to run out of steam.
“We were playing really good and were playing as a team, but it’s just the fact that we have such small numbers that we’re getting wiped out by the end of the game,” Fries said. “At the end they started forcing numbers and almost every player was forward. It was just so overwhelming that we couldn’t get the ball in their half.”
In the last 15 minutes Mitch Weibert, ’12, took a blow to his ankle and had to be taken out, which left the Eagles with no subs. Shortly after that, the Blue Raiders scored their first goal to tie the game. Then, junior captain, Sean Carter, went down with a hurt knee and Weibert had to go back in; Caruthers then scored once again, 2-1.
Fries feels they have a good chance at taking a win in the next few games if they work up their stamina to last the entire game.
“If we get more endurance from practice and stuff,” Fries said, “we’ll probably pull out a win against these better teams because we almost had it, but we kind of just lost it.”
The Eagles will next travel to play the Fowler Redcats, Jan. 28.
FC VS. TRANQUILLITY CANCELED–Jan. 21
The Eagles’ home match against Tranquillity was canceled due to fog, Jan. 21 and the rescheduled date is unknown as of Jan. 21.
The Eagles will next host