Gilroy hopes to learn from last year’s lessons as it tries to
return to playoffs
Gilroy – With a strong group of sophomores and juniors, Gilroy will be young just as it was a year ago in boys’ soccer.
Co-coaches Armando Padilla and Brian Hall are hoping that this year’s team, however, will show more consistency and maturity.
The Mustangs were 10-6-3 last year, missing out on the Central Coast Section playoffs when they played to a 1-1 with Sobrato the final game of the season. It was that game that was a microcosm of Gilroy’s season. The Mustangs had earlier beaten the Bulldogs 5-1.
“I think we’ll do well,” Hall said. “Our biggest challenge is because we’re such a young team being more consistent. Last year, we showed up for some games that because of a lack of maturity, we struggled in ones that you’d think we would do well.”
“Three or four guys would show up each game,” Padilla said. “We need all the guys playing well on the same day.”
Hall feels the grueling season took its toll on a team that was not only young but physically small. So this year, the players were started on a weightlifting program.
Credit former GHS soccer player Ricardo Espinoza with a huge assist, offering his Planet Fitness facilities for free to all varsity members.
Gilroy is hoping to get back to the type of team it was for four straight years before the 2005-06 season when it qualified for the Central Coast Section playoffs. Last year, the Mustangs got off to a bad start when two key seniors were dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons.
“I believe the guys are on the same page this year,” Padilla said.
Heading the returnees are forward Jose “Tapon” Velasquez, midfielder Humberto Pineda and defenseman Kevin Groves, TCAL Defender of the Year and CCS honorable mention last year.
In addition to the weightlifting program, another plus was many of the players competing for a local club team in the Abronzino League, which is affiliated with the California Youth Soccer Association. Named San Jose United, the Gilroy team was 7-0-3 and competed in three tournaments during a season that ran from August through the beginning of November.
“With the number of returning players and that so many played club, these kids have the opportunity to do big things,” Padilla said. “Finishing chances in a game and playing to their potential are the keys.”
The TCAL figures to be as competitive as ever with Alisal, Alvarez and North Salinas all looking strong. The Mustangs figure to get a good look at where they stand during the Homestead Cup that gets under way Nov. 25.
“That will be big for us,” Hall said. “There will be a lot of San Jose teams in there as well as our league teams. Traditionally, a lot of CCS teams will be in that tournament. It will be a good barometer of where we stand.”
The opener Friday at Gunn is an interesting start to the season. The last time the teams met three years ago, Gilroy won 4-1 in the CCS Division 1 semifinals.
ROSTER
Seniors-Jairo Rodriguez Avalos, Jesus Diaz, Luis Perez-Padilla, Humberto Pineda, Jose “Tapon” Velasquez, Noel Vera. Juniors-Kevin Grove, Armando Hernandez, Henry Phan, Jairo Rodriguez, Oscar “Guero” Zuniga. Sophomores-Carlos Cortez, Peter Guenther, Edgar Hernandez, Jorge Montano, Andy Moya, Bruce Ocana, Anthony Velazquez. Freshmen-Forrest Alvarez, Pablo Figueroa, Victor Garcia, Josh Gonzales, Jose Luis Lopez.
SCHEDULE
November
17, at Gunn, 7pm; 22, Gunderson, 5pm; 30, Monta Vista
December
2, at Overfelt, noon; 5, at Piedmont Hills, 3:15pm; 7, at Soquel, 3:15pm; 9, at Leland, 10:15am; 13, at Alvarez, 3:30pm; 15, San Benito, 6pm.
January
4, Burlingame, 6pm; 6, at Los Gatos, 1pm; 12, at Palma, 6pm; 17, North Salinas, 6pm; 19, Salinas, 6pm; 22, at Alisal, 6pm; 24, Alvarez, 6pm; 26, at San Benito, 6pm; 31, Palma, 6pm.
February
2, at North Salinas, 3:30pm; 5, at Salinas, 6pm; 7, Alisal, 6pm.
