At this point even a tie would do wonders for Sobrato boys
soccer.
The Bulldogs fell to 1-6-1 overall and 0-3 in league Tuesday
with a 4-0 loss to Mount Pleasant, another polished team that has
been unwelcoming to the Mount Hamilton Division newcomers.
Sobrato created many scoring chances and even controlled the
middle of the field for a good portion of the match. But the
Bulldogs were hopelessly overmatched against Mount Pleasant’s fast,
sharp-shooting forwards.
MORGAN HILL
At this point even a tie would do wonders for Sobrato boys soccer.
The Bulldogs fell to 1-6-1 overall and 0-3 in league Tuesday with a 4-0 loss to Mount Pleasant, another polished team that has been unwelcoming to the Mount Hamilton Division newcomers.
Sobrato created many scoring chances and even controlled the middle of the field for a good portion of the match. But the Bulldogs were hopelessly overmatched against Mount Pleasant’s fast, sharp-shooting forwards.
The Cardinals wear bright, two-tone jerseys and bleach their hair into different patterns – and they play just as flashily. Junior Bryan Rivas scored all four goals in cold fashion, each one coming off a defensive breakdown deep in Sobrato territory.
“Just simple, basic mistakes that we need to work on,” Bulldogs defender/midfielder Christian Ramirez said. “It’s just a matter of working harder.”
Rivas collected his first goal in the fifth minute, winning a loose ball and finishing after a few steps. He struck again in the 22nd minute, taping a shot between goalkeeper Juan Montemayor’s legs after dribbling around a group of defenders. His last two goals came off initial saves by Montemayor and freshman keeper Marco Agredano in the 37th and 43rd.
“There was really not much we could except man-mark him,” Ramirez said. “We made a lot of mistakes doing that.”
Sobrato held an 18-15 edge in shots, although most of the Bulldogs’ came in the second half against Mount Pleasant’s reserves.
Sobrato looked plenty capable of turning the game into a shootout early on, with Scott Henningsen knifing through the midfield and Shawn Henner, Robbie Rubenzer, Anthony Saenz and Felipe Villamares connecting for quality chances.
Rubenzer was denied three times on sharp-angled shots from close range and was off target on three more decent looks. Henningsen nearly scored on a rebound try in the 10th minute, missing high, and rocketed a 25-yard shot into the crossbar in the 30th minute.
As soon as the Bulldogs failed to score, they were on their heels trying to stop a counterattack by the Cardinals (8-1, 2-1).
“It’s encouraging to have those chances,” Sobrato midfielder/forward Marco Ramirez said. “It’s been happening the last couple games. Every time we get a breakaway, even if we miss or not, it always creates hope, you know? Our forwards, our players in general, we just need a lot more confidence in shooting.”
Sobrato was hampered by defender Nick Crawford’s injury in the 11th minute. That forced SHS coach Ricardo Martinez to drop Henner, one of the team’s best goal-scorers, to sweeper.
“That’s like losing a player, losing a goal,” Marco Ramirez said.
Henningsen received a red card along with Mount Pleasant’s Javier Leon in the 48th minute. That all but squashed any chance of a Sobrato comeback.
The Bulldogs have hurt for goals all season, though, they nearly scored twice Thursday in what would have been a tie at Yerba Buena. Rubenzer set up Henner for a goal that was disallowed because Henner was offside. The controversial call left Sobrato with a 2-1 loss, and a long road ahead.
The Bulldogs have yet to play front-runners Leigh (3:15 p.m. Thursday at SHS), Lincoln (Jan. 17) and Willow Glen (Jan. 19), the reigning Central Coast Section Division II champion.
“We know we can play at this level; we’re just not showing the hard work we do every day in games,” Christian Ramirez said. “We still feel like we can take any team out here. We’re just not finishing what we start.”
