12 Jan Kennedy Boys Soccer Builds Momentum at Midseason

Midway through the varsity season, the Kennedy High Eagles boys soccer team is 4-4-1 overall and 3-1 in league play.

Story and photos by Denis Perez-Bravo

Kennedy High School’s varsity boys soccer team is building its chemistry and communication as it reaches the midpoint of the season.

The Eagles hold a 4-4-1 overall record, putting them on track for a middle-of-the-pack finish in the Northern California Section. In league play, Kennedy is 3-1 in the Tri-County Athletic League Stone Division, placing the team second in the seven-team standings.

“We are prepared,” captain Juan Meza said after Kennedy’s 3-2 loss at home against Vallejo High School, the top seed in TCAL Stone, on Jan. 6.

“Sadly, we didn’t get the win,” Meza said. “We tried our best to get a score.”

Meza said the game against Vallejo was a show of strength as a team. Despite the loss, he said, the Eagles showed they can communicate and work together as a team.

“We talk trash, but we still keep ourselves up,” Meza said.

Kennedy took a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute of the first half after junior Steven Torres scored with a left-footed shot from outside the penalty box, placing the ball in the bottom right corner of the goal.

“They won’t make goals unless we make an error,” Kennedy head coach Juan Alejandre said at halftime.

Kennedy had shots on target in the first half and in the beginning of the second but was unable to score and build a larger lead.

Then a counterattack left a contested Kennedy sophomore Andy Flores running up his left wing to shoot a long range shot from outside the goalie box.

The ball hit the crossbar and rebounded inside of the goal, but it was not called a goal by the referees. As the Vallejo goalie recovered the ball, he started a play that led to a Vallejo player shooting the ball, which hit the crossbar and bounced down into the goal.

“We hit three on the crossbar; they hit one, they score. I mean, refs are going to get them right and wrong,” Alejandre said.

Vallejo carried the momentum and, minutes later, capitalized on a deflection from Kennedy goalie David Contreras to score from inside the goal box, taking a 2-1 lead.

“They showed me something different today,” Alejandre said of his team.

He was impressed with the way his team came back and continued to compete despite being down.

Kennedy tied the game off a corner kick, but Vallejo scored again to regain the lead and secure the 3-2 win.

Senior Francisco Perez received two yellow cards and was sent off with a red, leaving the team with 10 players and a harder hill to climb for the remainder of the match.

Since the loss to Vallejo, Kennedy has rebounded with a 3-2 win over De Anza High School and a 7-0 victory over San Lorenzo High School and tied Salesian College Preparatory High School 1-1.

Kennedy visits crosstown rival De Anza on Tuesday, then St. Patrick-St. Vincent in Vallejo on Thursday for a 6 p.m. match.

Alejandre said the team’s 13 seniors have taken a leadership role in mentoring freshman Giovanni Chavira, who has the potential to become a team leader.

“He’s new to the team, he’s young, and the rest of the guys are helping him out,” Alejandre said.

He also said those who played junior varsity last year as sophomores are “stepping up” and showing it in games.

Junior Contreras took on the responsibility of goalie after the team began the season without one. Contreras previously played defense as a freshman and sophomore.

Contreras said his confidence grew in Kennedy’s 2-0 win against Hercules High School on Dec. 18.

“We communicated more,” he said, “The team had confidence in me, and they played back when they needed to.”

Contreras said the team knows each other and the chemistry is strong, but staying focused and connected during the game remains key.

“I feel like we need to talk a little more among ourselves, communicate with each other, and well, that’s all.”