Varsity soccer takes home a win on Senior Night

By Sabreen Rashmawi,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

As this season’s senior’s on the Davis High men’s varsity soccer team were called out, one by one a line of  players started to form across the field in a pre-game recognition. Davis would win this final league match and home game against Monterey Trail with a score of 1-0 on Oct. 29.

Davis held possession throughout the first half but regardless of their many attempts could not sink the ball into the back of the net. “We could have scored more,” said coach Alex Park.

One of these close calls was a shot by senior Joe Rainer, in the 13th minute, who volleyed the ball sending it flying towards goal only to be  blocked the Monterey Trail goalie’s finger tips.

Another was in the 31st minute when junior Ricky Gonzales passed the ball to senior Jesse Hopp who sent a sharp left footed shot heading for goal which would again be tipped by a Monterey player’s shoulder.

However, in the 73 minute of the game, a corner kick from, senior, DJ Villegas eventually landed in the perfect position for, sophomore, Matteo Sorrentino who capitalized on the loose ball and slotted it in, placing the score at 1-0.

The game was also a rough one, consisting of three yellow cards and many fouls. In the first half a Monterey player was yellow carded, and then in the second half Matt Cheung was yellow carded followed by Francis Avoce who was carded later in the half. Later Gonzales limped off the field after a hard encounter with one of the Monterey players.

Senior Pablo Guarnizo played in goal not letting a single ball slide past him into the net. A few close calls resulted in Guarnzio diving and jumping to protect the goal.

As the event was also Senior Night, this game was not only important but also sentimental. The senior’s feelings about the game have a large range. “It’s surreal,” said Hopp. The game was, “nerve wracking,” said senior Kyle Fix, also saying that it “represented the transition from high school to college.”

The game was also sentimental for the coach, “I have known majority of the seniors since they were very young, so they are very special to me,” said Park.

The game was the last home league game. Davis held second place behind Jesuit and in front of Grant at the start of today’s game, and the win against Monterey Trails has solidified the standings going into Sections. The team believes they have good chance of doing well going forward, “if we work on what we have been doing all year,” said Rainer.