Blue Devils tie with Rocklin 0-0

PHOTO: Sophomore Cruz Gonzalez runs ahead of an opponent to dribble the ball.

Photo by Madi Madayag

By Annabel Nichols

Davis High’s men’s varsity soccer team held their own against Rocklin High, ending with a 0-0 draw on Jan. 13.

Davis immediately proved its position as No. 1 in the league with two aggressive attempts on goal by senior Subhan Rahimi and junior Elias Mas. Rocklin responded with its own chance at goal, quickly cleared by team captain senior Arieh Rooks. 

The Blue Devil defense continued to fight throughout the first half, and Mas managed to clear out several attempts at goal. Still, at half-time, the scoreboard was blank. “I think that we came short,” junior Luke Jebri said. “We could have easily put the game away early”.  

Coming out of halftime, senior Krisztian Anderson led the way with goal opportunities, with a free-kick off the crossbar and two close shots outside of the box. Davis’ increasingly connected passes limited Rocklin’s chances on goal. “(We) could have been a little more hungry in the attack, but we did well to stay in the game with them,” sophomore Reece Mayhew said.

With 15 minutes to go, the game grew noticeably more vocal, and aggression ramped up. Senior goalkeeper Christian Ortega stopped several shots after a series of fouls and consequent freekicks for Rocklin. Energy peaked in the last few plays, as a Rocklin player was awarded a yellow card after a dangerous foul and had a quick advancement into Rocklin’s box. 

Head coach Alex Park hopes to maintain improvement throughout the season. “We’re not consistent right now,” he said, “but we also haven’t peaked yet.”