CDM Scrimmage Provides First Competition for Mustangs
On Nov. 23rd all three teams got their first taste of competitive soccer representing Trabuco Hills High School for the season in scrimmages against Corona Del Mar HS. The Frosh/Soph team got things started playing a strong game scoring 5 goals and only giving up 1! The JV team followed their lead and also scored 5 goals, 2 of those coming in the last 10 minutes of the game! JV also kept a clean sheet not allowing CDM any goals. With the club soccer season wrapping up over Thanksgiving weekend some players chose to focus on their final club team competition and did not play in the game. That gave the coaching staff a chance to see a variety of players in game situations. Coach Camden Alpert said “it was great to see the boys apply all of the things we have been teaching them in a game situation, and it worked great!”
In the Varsity game Joshua Smay #24 opened the scoring about 6 minutes into the game with a nice finish off a free kick from about 45 yards out! There was some nice triangle passing work lead mainly by Peter Castillo #40 from the holding midfield position. However, the team lacked for any threatening passes into the penalty and had no shots for a long period in the first half. You could see that it was the first full speed competition as both teams had missed passes and turned the ball over especially in the middle of the field. The back line did a good job of being patient and building out from the back. The midfield tried a number of long balls and through balls but none of them found their mark. CDM on the other hand were very deliberately playing the ball down the wings and crossed the ball into the box on several occasions. CDM scored about 3 minutes after the opening goal on a corner kick that popped out to around the 18 yard box was passed back toward the net and was tipped at the last minute to even the score. That is where the score stayed at half time.
At about 4 minutes into the second half center back Gavin Zamarripa #4 made a long pass just to the edge of the CDM 18 yard box where Aldrin Suba #47 was making a hard run. He got in behind two CDM defenders and on the bounce headed the ball towards goal just before the CDM keeper came out and tried to knock the ball away. The keeper caught Aldrin and knocked him to the ground while at the same time he spun in the air and went down hard on the turf. The referee blew the whistle right away and issued a yellow card to the keeper and a penalty kick to Trabuco. Alejandro Gonzalez #70 took the PK and like the cool side of the pillow put the ball straight down the middle when the keeper moved to his right and put Trabuco ahead 2-1.
Less than 4 minutes later CDM had yet another corner kick. This one came out dead center to the top of the box and CDM #14 who had been causing problems for Trabuco all night put it low and hard into the near corner of the net to tie the game 2-2. For the next 35 minutes the teams traded chances with CDM having more and higher quality shots on goal. This forced the hand of Trabuco’s stellar sophomore goal keeper, Drew Johnson #1, to make a number of diving saves. This generated big cheers from both the Mustang supporters and the CDM fans who had to agree that Drew was making some big saves. CDM capitalized yet again on a corner kick in stoppage time. The kick came out about 12-15 yards from goal and CDM #8 headed it straight in the air and then on the bounce he nailed a bicycle kick into the far side of the goal. It was an unbelievable shot that left the CDM players running across the field to congratulate their teammate and crushed the Mustangs. It was an amazing individual effort and proved to be the final kick of the game.
The scrimmages were a great opportunity for the coaching staff to see how well the players put into action all that they have been taught. It is a great start to build from and got everyone excited to kick off the season officially on Dec. 1st at home.
