Aztecs soccer looking toward the future
BARSTOW • With the regular season coming to a close, there are certain things Barstow varsity boys soccer coach Terri Peralta is looking to see from her squad. It’s been a rebuilding year with a young team, but there are basics off which the groundwork will be laid for next season that need to come to the forefront.
With the latest match a 5-1 loss to Silverado on Tuesday, the coach had those things on her mind after it was all over.
“The thing is, we’re such hard workers in practice, we just don’t put it into the games,” she said. “If we have possession and keep moving off the ball, we’re okay, but when we have the ball, we’re not trying to find space. We’re turning the ball over way too many times; some players need to step it up.”
The Hawks are doing well this year, coming into Tuesday’s game with records of 8-3-3, 5-2-1. It didn’t take long for them to threaten, as Aztecs keeper Humberto Zamora made a diving save just two minutes into the first half. Shortly after, with Zamora going the other way after a save, defenseman Alejandro Estrada stepped up to clear the ball away from the front of the net.
Silverado kept up the pressure and got on the board at 10 minutes in. Zamora got a hand on a hard shot by Ariel Correa, but the ball dribbled out of his grasp and over the line.
The Hawks got two more in the next few minutes. Edgar Prado picked up a goal at 30 minutes in, and with under a minute to go, Andres Garcia took control of a pass in front of the net and chipped it in, leaving the visitors up, 3-0, at the half.
Barstow’s best chance for a tally in the first 40 minutes was by Richard Ebel, whose shot was caught by Hawks keeper Marion Martin.
Garcia kept up the pressure in the second, and his efforts resulted in another goal, with Bivaldo Parrea also getting a tally down the stretch.
With about 10 minutes left on the clock, the Aztecs avoided the shutout. In a scramble in front of the Barstow net, Samuel Winston was tripped in the box, and converted on the penalty kick, for the 5-1 final.
Zamora had another strong performance, making 12 saves on 17 shots. Martin and Garcia combined for five saves for the Hawks.
This season has been a learning experience for many of the young Aztecs. With only five seniors on the roster, many players got their first taste of varsity action this year. It’s been a tricky balance at times for Peralta, who while coaching with an eye toward the future, also knows that the seniors would like to go out strong. She’s been concentrating on getting everyone on the field, and that was accomplished Tuesday, with every bench player getting in the game.
“This is a young team; as far as playing as a unit, that will take some time. Success is down the road and we’re building toward it,” she said. “But we have to stop giving up goals. We have to stay focused, possess the ball and keep possession. We’re not winning 50/50s and headers, and we have to; if you can control those things, you’ll get possession.”
There are four games left for the Aztecs to accomplish that, two of them at home. Barstow will host Burroughs on Jan. 31, and Victor Valley on Feb. 2, both at 3 p.m.
