The Cooperative boys varsity soccer team prevailed 3-0 against Cambridge on the Jaguars home field Thursday afternoon.
The game promised to test the Jaguars depth since the coaches chose to bench three of the team's best players -- Jose Manuel Vasquez, Federico Sauto and Jean Bretel for skipping practice. But the Jaguar reserves proved up to the job.
Cooperative was on the offensive early but was missing high and wide until 10th grader Hyun Kim headed home a corner kick to make the score 1-0 for the Jaguars. That goal, however, concluded scoring for the first half, which was played out on a relatively even basis. The Jaguar defense did an excellent job of containing Cambridge's fast-moving forwards Matheo Asturizaga and Tadeo Carmona, who did not get off an uncontested shot in the entire game.
The Cooperative offense asserted itself more forcefully in the second half as senior Juan Alfredo Abuawad, who had been switched to offense from his usual position on defense, fired a curving shot into the corner of the Cambridge goal.
Later, Juan Carlos Laguna, another tenth grader, fired in a long, low, hard shot that got below the reach of Cambridge goalie Andres Hurtado, an eighth grader who was one of two Cambridge players who had also played the entire, hard-fought junior varsity game. Cambridge was also missing senior regular Matias Martinez who was on a trip to Argentina to look at universities.
 |
| LETTING 'ER RIP -- Griffin Jorge Suarez (airborne, at left) uncorks the first of his two goals. Jonatan Muñoz, International |
Griffins defeat Eagles 3-0
On a cool, overcast evening, the International boys varsity soccer team defeated Christian Learning 3-0 on the Griffins field Thursday. The win kept the Griffins in a tie for the League lead with Cooperative.
The game started on an even basis with both teams making some nice movements up the field, but with no scoring. The Griffins finally got on the scoreboard when Gary Suarez took control of a long kick from his own goalie just outside the goalie box and finessed into the upper left corner of the goal, up and over Christian Learning goalie Wesley Ordoñez.
Jorge Harriague almost made it 2-0 for the Griffins with a shot from close range that Ordoñez did field. And Eagle Luis Doi almost made it a tie game with a potent free kick that went just over the crossbar. But "almosts" don't count, and the score stood 1-0 for the Griffins at the half.
International began smelling blood in the second half, and was just barely kept at bay by Ordoñez. Griffin Mauricio Nostas fired a short shot that just missed high and to the right. A short while later he got another chance when Eagle defender Andy Nutt fouled him in the penalty area. Nostas calmly netted the resulting penalty shot.
Eagle Geo Pyung made a nice shot on goal that had the Christian Learning adherents buzzing, but Suarez put the game out of reach near the close with his second goal, which he neatly pushed by Ordoñez from close in.
The Eagles continued to strive desperately, and Doi barely missed a 30-meter free kick.
(This account was provided by Keith Wilcke of Christian Learning.)
