BOYS SOCCER: Area teams hoping for a strong finishing kick to regular season

The winning streak may be over, but the Moorpark High boys soccer team remains full speed ahead.

Towards the ultimate goal.

After an early red card led to a 3-0 loss at Valencia in last spring’s playoff opener, the Musketeers returned this season focused and prepared.

“The kids are motivated,” head coach Manny Galvez said. “We lost last year at Valencia and it didn’t sit well with them. They’re very motivated to do well this year.”

Powered by the goalscoring of junior Jerry Ramos (15 goals) and the playmaking of senior Justin Conyers (11 goals, 11 assists), Moorpark (13-1) won their first 12 matches this season to rise to No. 1 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 rankings.

“We have some amazing athletes,” Galvez said. “They’re all playing at high levels at their clubs. They’re doing really well at the high-school level. We just have to keep healthy. If we keep healthy, we can have a good run.”

Senior Jon Cetulio leads the defense, junior Oscar Vargas is willing to do the hard running up top, and senior Matt Cetulio and junior Javier Castro provide the midfield fulcrum.

Moorpark responded to its 3-2 loss at Oak Park on Jan. 14 with a 3-1 win at Simi Valley on Friday.

“It was a long week of training,” Galvez said. “They weren’t happy, but it was a good learning lesson and it’s something we can build on as we move forward.”

Coastal Canyon League

Ahead of its return trip to Moorpark on Feb. 2, Oak Park (8-1-2) sits in first place in the Coastal Canyon League and is ranked No. 5 in Division 5.

The Eagles did not return head coach Pat Otte or midfield maestro Tamir Ratoviz from last year’s historic team, which ended a 10-year playoff drought.

But goalscorer Zach Harris (10 goals) is back for new head coach Brandon Heidt, who was an assistant coach at Oak Park from 2015 to 2017.

“They did a good job setting a precedent and changing the old storyline,” said Heidt. “When Pat left … I looked at it as unfinished business.”

Heidt has put his stamp on the team by moving his star into midfield.

“It’s more of his more natural position,” Heidt said. “It’s really starting to pay off. He’s playing that position how we believe it should be played.”

Charles Chowana (nine goals) has been paired up front with fellow sophomore Tyler Cash (eight goals). Senior captain Edan Shakib marshals the defense. Left back Ethan Streif is a “lockdown defender,” according to Heidt, ahead of goalkeepers Noah Teichner and Ryan Chu

“We’re very aware that we have to earn people’s respect,” Heidt said. “At the end of that game, I think we earned Moorpark’s respect.”

Camarillo (10-8-2, 3-2) has won three straight by a combined 11-1 margin since opening league play with losses to Moorpark and Oak Park.

Striker Owen Schoner has filled the hole up front left by Lukas Locker’s graduation. The Scorpions have thrived since winger Eric Valadez was moved centrally.

“Once I moved him into the ‘10’ spot, that turned the motor on,” Camarillo coach Lonnie Sizemore said. “We kind of found our groove.”

Simi Valley (1-8-2, 1-4) and Royal (3-14-1, 0-5) are young, rebuilding teams.

Senior centerback Dylan Fluhrer and senior midfielder Isaiah Reano, who scored a late winner against rival Royal on Jan. 14, have stood out for the Pioneers.

“We’re a young group,” Simi Valley coach Ryan Woods said. “We’re trying to find our way. … We’ve played really well at times, but we make young mistakes.”

Pacific View League

As usually, it doesn’t get more competitive than the Pacific View League.

All three league matches of a specific round have already ended in ties twice this season.

“Happening once is crazy,” Oxnard coach Chris Conte said. “I’ve never seen that happen.”

Channel Islands used Thursday’s 3-1 home win to pull into a first-place tie with rival Pacifica with three matches to play.

Buena is just a point back in third place.

“Like always, man,” Channel Islands coach Adrian Garcia said. “Even when I don’t think it’s going to be (close), it always is.”

The Raiders have been powered by playmaker Alexis Cuevas and striker Arnulfo Salcedo.

“We’ve been starting late, but I think we’re gaining momentum,” Garcia said. “(Salcedo) is hungry. He came out of nowhere. He’s been stepping up this year.”

Fullback Nathan Becerra has made an impact on both sides of the field.

Thursday’s loss ended a seven-match unbeaten streak for the Tritons.

“We’re pretty solid offensively, but we’ve been struggling the last couple games,” Pacifica coach Andrew Navarro said. “That’s because we haven’t had the team together. We had some student sick. I was out, too.”

Navarro was on COVID-19 protocol for 10 days early in the month, leaving the team in the hands of assistant coach Caesar Calderon.

“I was communicating with him via phone and communicating with the team via an app,” Navarro said.

Pacifica is powered by senior attacker Ian Montelongo and sophomore forward Freddy Lobato. Junior Emiliano Rivera has steadied the defense since being promoted from the JV.

“He came up and I’ve kept him up,” Navarro said. “He’s a starter now.”

Buena has had to replace striker Emmanuel Solis, who led the Bulldogs to their first playoff win in five years last season.

“Obviously that was a huge loss,” said coach Forrest Solis. “We lost the big showstopper up top, but I think we have the most experience team Buena’s had (in a while).

“Overall, our lineup is the strongest Buena has seen in a really long time.”

Playmaker Juan Lopez and winger Andrew Alonso and Tristan Esquivel have spurred the Buena attack behind freshman striker Nate Lopez.

“Our front four are pretty strong,” Solis said.

A promising season for Oxnard slipped with a six-game winless streak coinciding with an illness to star Mariodavid Vega, who scored 10 goals in the Yellowjackets’ first 11 matches.

The Yellowjackets have found the net just twice in the six games he missed.

“There’s not a lot of offense,” Conte said. “We’re tight. Any team can beat any team, but that’s always been our league.”

Vega made his first start since January 4 on Tuesday against Channel Islands and scored in a 1-1 tie.

Juniors Miguel Cabrera, Hector Servin and UIises Morales give Oxnard a strong midfield.

Rio Mesa has yet to score more than one goal in league play, but senior goalkeeper Ben Garcia (six shutouts) has kept the Spartans competitive.

“He’s pretty much holding us together,” Rio Mesa coach Brandon Fuchs said.

Rio Mesa’s attack has suffered since striker Jesus Montoya injured a leg last month.

Defender Moises Orozco has helped keep Ventura, which has also had issues scoring, in every match.

Marmonte League

Agoura (8-0-5, 4-0-2) remains the only unbeaten team in the area.

And for good reason. From dynamic brothers Brandon and Justin Sosa up top, through midfield captain Jackson Chandler and the centerback pairing of Kieran Taylor and Matt Levalley, the Chargers are a strong and balanced team.

“It’s just a special group of boys,” Agoura coach Jaime Alvarado said. “The guys have been dialed in from the beginning of the preseason. They show up and work hard every day and they strive for excellence.”

Fullback Jones Newman, the Chargers’ senior captain, is a leader on both sides of the field.

“He’s the voice of the team,” Alvarado said.

Agoura, which somehow remains unranked in Division 3, split two 1-1 nonleague draws with rival Oak Park and took control of the Marmonte League race with a 4-0 win over defending champion Calabasas on Jan. 18.

“The secret to this team is the leadership and the togetherness,” Alvarado said. “They all know each other. They play club together. They take great pride in playing for the school and they have each other’s backs.”

Calabasas is right on the Chargers’ heals, while Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park remain within striking distance.

“We’re trying to figure out how to score goals,” Thousand Oaks coach Mark Tietjen said. “We’re a solid team. We go pretty deep. We have a nice mix of young guys and older guys.”

Tietjen moved senior Adam Williamson, a three-year starter in defense, up front.

“We were in need of someone who can score goals,” Tietjen said. “He’s got some juice.”

Tietjen is rotating six experienced players in defense ahead of goalkeepers Shane Weeks and Jonathan Rivera.

“They’re different keepers, but they’re both really good,” Tietjen said.

Eric Sanford has taken over as the Newbury Park head coach, following in the footsteps of his father Guy and brother Paul.

“It’s pretty fun,” said Sanford, who has been in the program for 14 years. “They’ve surprised me with their heart and their effort.”

Striker Adam Olson, midfielder Ryan Thorndike and defender Arjun Kaushal have given the Panthers a strong spine.

“We have quite a few seniors this year,” Sanford said.

Westlake has struggled in league play, but the attack of Jaden Nachimzon, Justin Wade and Martin Cao are dangerous.

Citrus Coast League

Hueneme (11-3-1, 6-0) is flying toward its fifth league title in six seasons.

Led by playmaker Andres Gutierrez (nine goals) and defender Brian Lobato, the Vikings have outscored their league opponents, 21-2.

“We have a very talented group this year,” said Hueneme coach David Nava. “We have things to work on, but we’re getting more adjusted to what we want to do. We’re playing good soccer right now. Hopefully, we keep it up. The goal is to win more than league.”

Sophomore striker Jesus Avendano and fullback Edwin Lira have provided a big boost to the attack.

Fillmore (5-6-2, 3-1-1) started slow without coach Javier Alcaraz, who missed two weeks due to COVID-19 protocols.

“Chaotic,” said Alcaraz. “COVID and injuries have been hurting us, but I think that’s going to be the same for everybody.”

Midfielders Jacob Tharpe (five goals), Adrian Perez (five assists) and Diego Alcaraz (four goals) power the attack.

“Hueneme is a little bit better than last year,” Alcaraz said, “but I think we have enough to compete.”

Santa Paula (5-10-2, 2-1-1) faced Moorpark, Channel Islands, Ventura and Santa Barbara during nonleague play, as coach Manny Elizarraraz attempted to shape an inexperienced team.

“We’re improving,” Elizarraraz said. “It’s been a roller-coaster season for us.”

Elizarraraz has shifted defensive leader Mario Ayala into attack and promoted freshman Luis Damian to varsity.

Tri-Valley Athletic Association

Former Hueneme High and UC Riverside defender Juan Valladolid has taken over at Santa Clara (3-7-1, 0-3), which is in the Tri-Valley League with Foothill Tech (5-5-1, 2-2) and four Santa Barbara-area schools.

“We’ve obviously been impacted by the whole COVID thing,” Valladolid said. “We’ve had a few of our games canceled.”

Senior Diego Rivera leads the team with five goals. Sophomore attacker Christian Carbajal, who plays for Cal South’s Olympic Development Program, gives them a young player upon which to build.

Grace Brethren (6-3-1, 4-1-1) leads the Frontier League under first-year coach Matt Larson.

The Lancers have been led by junior striker Jeremy Larson (10 goals), senior midfielder Kai Terentieff and junior defender Ryan Spelts.

St. Bonaventure (4-3-1, 3-1) has been boosted by junior Cristobal Ramirez, a transfer from Chile.

“He’s a really good defender who I had to flex into the midfield because of some injuries and COVID,” St. Bonaventure coach Andrew Walk said. “He’s helped us a lot.”

Trevor McCarthy, a four-year varsity player, has moved into midfield as a senior.

Joe Curley covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage of local high school sports, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: BOYS SOCCER: Teams hoping for strong finishing kick to regular season