GILROY – In a year of firsts for the Christopher High athletic
program, they can now add another to the list after the boys junior
varsity soccer team exploded for a 4-1 win over Gilroy High at
Garcia-Elder Sports Complex on Tuesday in the first-ever El Clasico
de Clasicos, a tradition that will continue between the two
crosstown schools.
GILROY – In a year of firsts for the Christopher High athletic program, they can now add another to the list after the boys junior varsity soccer team exploded for a 4-1 win over Gilroy High at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex on Tuesday in the first-ever El Clasico de Clasicos, a tradition that will continue between the two crosstown schools.
The idea for El Clasico was formulated by GHS JV coach Mario Gomez, who said he suggested the idea to all the other coaches and received positive feedback.
As a result of their win, the Cougars get to keep a trophy with them until the next time the two squads meet. Next season, when CHS has a varsity program, El Clasico will be played out at the varsity level.
Although there was a make-shift trophy this time around, by next year a cup will be made specifically for the event and will have the winner and score of each game engraved on it.
The Cougars bolted out of the gates and notched an early lead.
“Jumping out to a quick start was one of the things we had talked about all week,” CHS head coach Stephen Casey said. “Our boys were definitely ready for the game.”
The Cougars’ Christan Manzo sparked the visiting club’s offense, scoring in the 6th minute, to make it 1-0 early in the contest. Manzo used his speed to break away from a defender, beating the GHS goalie with a dribble left and had only the open net starting at him.
“If you miss, your teammates are mad at you. If you make it, you’re a hero,” Manzo said of his goal. “You just have to put those in. It’s wide open.”
Manzo, struck again in the 13th minute to put the Cougars up 2-0.
David Anaya all but buried the Mustangs in the 16th minute, taking a pass from Iziaiaz Barrera and chipping it past the goal keeper to extend the Cougars’ lead to 3-0, where it stood at halftime.
“I think these guys were a little nervous because they are not used to seeing all of this big show,” Gomez said. “At the same time, they have pretty good players on their side.”
After Barrera made it 4-0 midway through the second half, Gilroy began to create more chances in its half of the field. The Mustangs’ efforts paid off in the 57th minute when Luis Gabriel Contreras settled a bouncing ball inside the box and knocked it in, cutting the deficit to 4-1.
“I told the guys at halftime that we had to score,” Gomez said.
The Cougars are now 2-0-1 against the Mustangs this season and 7-1-2 overall. Gilroy falls to 2-3 on the year.
