Oxnard College and Moorpark College men’s soccer teams have begun preseason play.
Both teams have postseason goals and Moorpark hopes to finish first or second in the Western State Conference. Each coach feels the WSC is tough league but hopes to do well this season.
Ross Gearney, the new Oxnard men’s coach who replaced Jorge Baresca after 10 years, looks to this season’s team to set the standard for hard work and teamwork for teams to come. He also hopes that in the future players will hear about the great fields, the excellent coaching staff, the community support and want to come and play for Oxnard College.
This year’s team at Oxnard has no one-standout player according to Gearney, but he feels they are a good team unit, who will share the workload. Gearney is glad to welcome two university transfers Kylie Smith from California State University Chico and David Barra from California Lutheran University. Gearney feels his team will be a big surprise this season. The players also feel that they will do well this year. Ricardo Salazar a returnee from last year’s team that went 2-16-2, feels his team is very talented and will only get stronger as the season goes on.
Oxnard lost two close games at the start of the preseason. In their first game against Taft College they were able to come back from a 2-0 lead and tie the game, with a goal from Martin Mendez, and Luis Navarro, who scored off an assist from Mendez. After the game Gearney felt his team did well for their first game, but also felt the game served as an eye-opening experience. “Eye opening, [it’s} not youth soccer [anymore], it’s college,” Gearney said of his team first game. In their second game against Cypress College, they led most of the game with a goal from Mendez, who scored off a pass by Jorge Garcia. But in the end they could not hold off Cypress who defeated them 2-1. In the Condor’s third game versus 2003 state champions Fullerton College Oxnard lost 4-1. At half, the game was tied 1-1. Mendez scored the lone goal for the Condors off a free kick. Kenny Megron the goalkeeper put in a good effort.
Even though the Raiders lost some important players they still welcome back seven returnees from last years team, Carson Chappell in midfield, Montana Dennis, Justin Thomas, and Kai Werring all defenders, two goalkeepers, Ernesto Gonzalez, and Stuart Kozlenko, and Patrick Smith at forward. Roche expects big things from Smith who was the top scorer in the WSC last year. “Pat did well last year and can be a division one player,” said Roche of Smith. Roche also expects Werring to make a big impact this season. In the Raiders first game they lost to Irvine Valley College in a 2-0 shut out. They came back in their second game and defeated El Comino 3-2. Smith scored the games first goal early in the second half. Then El Comino took the led late in the second half. Moorpark came back and tied the game with a goal by Steve Solie who scored off an assist from Gutierrez. Then in the fleeting moments of the game Gutierrez, scored the winning goal off a corner kick by Chris Romero-Quiroga. Kozlenko help in the winning effort with four saves. After the game Roche was pleased with his team.
