Varsity Boys’ Soccer Tenaciously Takes On League Competitors
During a varsity boys’ soccer game against San Gabriel, midfielder Martin Espinoza attempts to maintain his possession of the ball against a couple of defenders. Ultimately, the Moors went on to win with a score of 1-0 against the Matadors.
MOOR Photo by SHANNON KHA
Wesley Tsai
Staff Writer
As the sun shines bright and the weather stays cold, most people stay cozy in their beds while the varsity boys’ soccer team diligently practices on the field to improve constantly. With three league games down, the team continues to practice for upcoming games.
After a victory against the San Gabriel Matadors with a score of 1-0, the Moors currently maintain a league record of 2-3. Having one win against the Mark Keppel Aztecs and three losses against the Schurr Spartans, Bell Gardens Lancers and Montebello Oilers, the team practices diligently as they prepare for the Aztecs again. Conditioning after school, the team continues to practice as they face the Aztecs with the same expectations the team had when they played them the first time.
“[The season] so far has been interesting and we had an amazing start. With two losses, we [learned] that we need to emphasize communicating with [one] another and [having] a better early start. Our following games will result in a positive note by incorporating all of this,” captain Ricardo Gonzalez said.
Despite their loss against the Spartans, the Moors continuously strive to practice after school for 2 hours a day. Throughout practice, the team focuses on conditioning, individual footwork and tactics. Putting these to the test, the team occasionally scrimmage to give them the game feeling to prepare them for their next game. This means having the points tallied up, teams set up and rules and regulations followed. Having practice games not only helps the team get in-game experience but also incorporates conditioning that Head Coach Netza Bravo emphasizes.
“We have totally been doing a complete 180. We started off great during preseason but now we are not doing so well in league with [two] wins. We need to land in the top three so we need to beat Schurr, Montebello and Bell Gardens in the second half of the season. The team needs to build more confidence and believe that they are as good as the [opposing teams]. Another thing that we need to do is to start strong and end strong, something we have had an issue being comfortable with. The players need to believe that they can win,” Bravo said.