The Charter School Cheetahs boys soccer team opened their home
league schedule last week with impressive back-to-back wins over
Tres Pinos and Crossroads.
The Charter School Cheetahs boys soccer team opened their home league schedule last week with impressive back-to-back wins over Tres Pinos and Crossroads.
In the first match, against a much bigger and stronger Tres Pinos team, the Cheetahs used their speed and passing skills to move the ball up the field and created many scoring chances en route to a 5-3 win in their home opener.
Early on, the play of sixth-grade forwards Jacob Montoya, Logan Hoshiko and Michael Garrett staked the Cheetahs to an early 3-0 halftime lead. Montoya had another opportunity later to increase the lead, but was fouled in the open field by the physical Tres Pinos defenders. Tres Pinos came out in the second half with a strong offensive formation and an even more physical game plan, putting constant pressure on the Cheetahs and scoring three goals in the second half as a result. But the Cheetah defense, led by Kolby Nelson, Gilbert Diaz, Renzo Segovia and sweeper Braden Cox, kept their composure and adjusted their play, shutting down Tres Pinos the rest of the way. Cheetah goalkeeper Logan Hinckle played an outstanding game making several tough saves while getting the ball well downfield on his goal kicks. The Cheetah midfield took over the game late in the second half with set plays by Gabriel Reyes and Bryan Gillispie, setting up two more goals.
In their second match against Crossroads, a 5-0 victory, Cheetah midfielders Bryan Gillispie, Mckay Lance and Arun Durvasula helped keep the ball in the offensive zone for most of the first half, but the stingy Crossroads defenders stopped all of the scoring chances. Gabriel Reyes finally found the back of the net on a perfectly placed free kick over the keeper’s head from 15 yards out for a 1-0 Cheetah halftime lead. The Cheetahs broke the game open in the second half with Jacob Montoya using his speed to score a pair of nice goals, followed by two more goals from Reyes who got his well-deserved hat trick. Cheetah keepers James Himebauch and Logan Hinckle combined on the 5-0 shutout.
Crossroads had an apparent late goal from a direct kick waved off by the officials for what should have been an indirect kick.
The Cheetahs compete in the San Benito Athletic League, which fields teams from Hollister, San Juan, Aromas and Tres Pinos. Teams are made up of sixth, seventh and eighth-grade players.
“We only have two eighth graders, so we’re one of the smallest teams in the league, but the three comp-club players on our team have really helped to increase the learning curve of the other players. It’s a great mix of kids,” said Coach Chip Czeropski.
OVYSL United U10 boys cap season, beat Almaden
Vincent Czeropski knocked in two goals, David Robinson and Nelson Pyle each added a goal, and keeper Mitchell Pasek shut down the Strikers as the Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League’s United U10 boys soccer team closed out its Delgado League season with a 4-2 victory over the Almaden Strikers at the Morgan Hill Soccer Complex last week.
The United played all-out for their last game, swarming all over the ball on offense and defense and putting constant pressure on the Strikers. United’s Ty Gardner and Ben Troini controlled the middle of the field for most of the game while setting up all of the United goals. The United defense was anchored by Scott Mercado, Evan Schirle and Joseph Tuttle, with help from midfielder Juan Montemayor.
United Coach Chip Czeroposki said: “We were basically a new team formed in late July, competing against other teams that had been together for a season or two, and we played much better as the season progressed. To close out the season with a spirited win over a Division I team in our last game at the Soccer Complex really makes me proud of these players.”
