Huskie Soccer fields an experienced team in 2018

Bob Kirkpatrick/The Sun Tribune - The Huskies Bernie Garza junior looks to elevate the ball over the wall during scoring drills at a Thursday afternoon practice.

by Bob Kirkpatrick Editor
| March 18, 2018 1:00 AM

The Huskies are looking to make a deeper run in postseason play in 2018 than the disappointing 1-0 regional playoff loss the team suffered to Cheney last year. And with a heavy-laden senior squad returning this season, coach Bernie Garza believes the team has what it take to get it done.

“The loss to Cheney was frustrating and very emotional because it happened at home and we saw seven seniors — six of whom were starters — lose their last soccer game of their high school career,” Garza said. “Some might think we have a very tough hole to fill and may consider this a rebuilding year, but in my opinion we’ll be better than we were last year. We replaced star goalie Jose Gomez with Miguel Silva, defender Irvin Sandoval with Christian Quiroz, midfielders Chris Alfaro and Luis Gomez with Hilario Murillo and star player Adrian Ruiz, and forwards Frankie Ramos and Reese Jones with speedsters Arvin Arvizu and Juan Tapia.”

Other key players returning to the pitch are midfielders Juan Orozco and Bernie Garza Jr., and defenders Sergio Mondragon, Jovani Espindola and Chris Melo. Captains for this year are Garza Jr., Mondragon and Melo.

The Huskies opened up the season with a nonleague road game against 1A Naches Valley Saturday without their starting keeper Miguel Gonzalez, but his backup Isaac Velasco performed well in his stead with save to preserve a 2-1 win over the Rangers.

Othello was also without midfielder starter Adrian Ruiz and we struggled at times to maintain possession in the midfield area. His replacement Juan Orozco scored the Huskies first goal of the season on an Arvin Arvizu assist off a corner kick set piece. Naches leveled it 1-1 from a shot 30 yards out.

Freshman Naudys Borrero and he was tackled by the Rangers goalkeeper in the 18-yard box and Othello was awarded a penalty kick.

“Juan Tapia took the shot and was saved by the diving Naches goalkeeper and then he followed his own shot and scored the game winner,” coach Garza said. “I was really happy how the team handled certain situations. Naches got six yellow cards for aggressive play and we got only one for a deliberate hand ball. It was great to know our guys can handle that aggressive play without retaliation.”

Othello took on Ellensburg Tuesday, but the results of the fuss were not available by press time.