LJ b soccer: The "Big Bad Wolf"

By Ed Piper, Jr.

In the recent CIF soccer playoffs, Coach Marcos Gonzales' Viking squad ran into the challenges that inevitably accompany success.

Last year, after previous years of plenty of talent but no continuity in the coaching staff, Gonzales' presence--combined with a reassignment down to Division 4--helped lift La Jolla's team to the CIF title, despite a losing overall record of 7-9-5, a horrid 1-5-3 record in the Western League.

But the "CIF Champions" title became attached to the Viking brand, and other teams came shooting for the red-and-black in a way they hadn't before.

Around the new facilities on campus, as well, expectations were raised as attention to the program was increased. Was La Jolla soccer really very good, said the doubters, if it had achieved the title last year with more losses than wins?

In addition, Gonzales and assistant Victor Zendejas had new talent. Lukas Keeling, the goofy-footer with the deft touch, returned to the squad after spending his junior campaign on an elite U.S. Academy team.

And who was this striker from Germany? Luis Goehler was his name, and he had grown up in a soccer organization in his home country. "Oh, boy," I was told at one of the early soccer events by one of the other players, "we have a new striker. He's good."

Plus La Jolla returned tons of talent, including captains Jack Barone and Marco Furlanis, who shared the co-captainship, both more on the defensive half of the pitch. Goalkeeper Tai Nguyen, who had a spectacular outing to help win the CIF semifinal match last year, was a year older and a year wiser.

"Mad Max" Leonard, Zendejas' moniker for the defender, was back. So was Jose Bello. I could name more.

The Vikings tore through their schedule, winning 16 of 18 non-tie matches (two of the latter). The team's record was in another world, especially compared to last year's. Gonzales, with a critical eye, knew his team was far from perfection: "They haven't been playing well lately," he said at University City before that game.

Zendejas, ever the promoter and encourager, said, "What? They've been playing great."

But as the defending Division 4 champ, and enjoying so much success, La Jolla was now the "big bad wolf" that everyone else was enjoying trying to take down. The Vikes had a target on their backs.

It was almost looking easy, as they were seeded number one in the Division 3 playoff bracket and received a first-round bye.

Wow, with one win, we're in the semifinals. We only have to win this, and we're into our second straight championship game.

But, after a 1-1 tie, with 15 minutes left in the game visiting Del Norte scored on a long blast from 25 yards out that got past Nguyen. Said Goehler later, "That goal--it was incredible." It was quite a shot by Antonio Sorano into the upper right corner of the net.

In the frantic final minutes, with Nguyen pulled forward and the Vikings hurriedly trying to get the ball down at their goal for a chance to tie, a midfield shot from Del Norte's Cooper Lachenbruh on an open goal nailed the coffin and ended playing time. It's on to next season for the Vikings.