Soccer standouts set to shine
Glenn Cravens
The Salinas Californian
Come Sunday afternoon, the stands at Alisal High Stadium should be rocking with local soccer fans watching many notable high school seniors take part in one final contest.
The 2014 Salinas Californian All-Star Soccer Classic is a celebration of all things related to the beautiful game.
Sixty-four players from four teams are scheduled to participate in the all-day event. And to add to its uniqueness, more than 20 schools from Monterey County are represented in the event.
From the small school York, whose girls team nearly won the Coastal Athletic League championship, to Alisal High, whose boys team won one of the toughest soccer divisions in the state, the flavors from all of the schools in the county will blend together for what many hope will be two great soccer games.
"We're celebrating our 11th year of providing an All-Star soccer game for schools in Monterey County," said Carlos Rubio, lead organizer of the All-Star game. "We're happy for the support we're getting from all of the schools, players, coaches and sponsors to make it a success.
"This is Christmas in March for me. It should be a great day, and I look forward to having a good game for the kids."
The girls game is scheduled for 3 p.m., and the boys game will follow, approximately 5 p.m.
It might be tough to match last year's contests.
In both games, the score was tied 1-1 after 90 minutes, forcing two 15-minute overtime periods. Both scores remained 1-1, and a penalty kick shootout was needed to decide each contest.
The Wind girls ended an eight-year losing skid to the Stingrays. In the boys game, the Stingrays prevailed, their sixth victory in the series.
Will there be two penalty kick games come Sunday? That could be the case.
Defense seemed to be the unofficial theme in the 2013-14 soccer season. Several teams in the county had lengthy defensive stands against their opponents.
Soledad High's boys team, which finished the regular season undefeated for the first time in school history, did not allow a goal in seven consecutive games.
Alisal High boys had a stretch of 530 minutes of gametime without allowing a goal, and this came after their female counterparts started the season not allowing a goal in their first 538 minutes played.
Monterey High's boys team had a seven-game stretch where it allowed one goal.
There were plenty more defensive standouts from throughout the county, and they might make center stage on Sunday.
"Both games historically have been close, good and competitive," Rubio said. "I think we'll have a good day and a close score on both ends."
Before the game, all of the players and their families will take part in a luncheon and receive their official jerseys. They'll also get a chance to listen to a few words from keynote speaker Thomas Bobadilla, a member of the USA Soccer's referee committee.
Many of the players are anticipating a great game, given it will be their last one as a high school student-athlete.
"It's what I've been working on for the past four years," said North Monterey County senior Angel Flores. "It's going to be a good feeling."
It'll be another notch in Flores' career. He helped North Monterey County reach the Central Coast Section Division III finals in 2012 and was the team's leading scorer in his sophomore, junior and senior years.
Alvarez High forward Gigi Pedraza remembers watching the game as a freshman. In her final year, she led Alvarez's girls team to its first championship in league play.
"It feels like a privilege to me," said Pedraza, the 2014 MBL Pacific Division Most Valuable Player. "It's going to feel interesting and cool. I've never played with all the other seniors, and they're all good."
• What:
2014 Salinas Californian All-Star Soccer Classic
Saturday. Girls game is at 3 p.m., boys game at 5 p.m.
Alisal High School, 777 Williams Road, Salinas
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