Los Alamitos boys soccer coach Donovan Martinez knows that the season is long and tough. But at least the Griffins got off to a good start with a 2-0 win over Warren High in their first game of the Aliso Cup Tournament, on Monday at Los Alamitos High.
The Griffins had goals by senior Kevin Herring and freshman Louie Arellano in the first half and the defense kept Warren out of the net to hold on for the lead. Ryan Ayale had assists on both goals.
Warren was a solid test for the Griffins to start the season. The Bears won 21 games last year and were the San Gabriel Valley League champions. They are a program that consistently fields solid teams that play a physical style of soccer.
“We were able to match that physicality,” Martinez said.
But the game could have easily been a different story. Both teams had opportunities that they failed to capitalize on and the Bears had some strong attacks that just missed the mark. Griffin goalie Alec Lazar made several big saves to help preserve the shutout.
The Griffins certainly have potential, but with five freshmen on varsity, they are a young team and Martinez is expecting a long learning curve as the young players learn to play varsity level soccer.
“We have a long way to go,” Martinez said.
Martinez said there is plenty of talent on the team and they have a core of experienced players who should provide some stability to the younger players. Herring has a lot of speed and will give the Griffins a scoring threat against most defenses. Another senior, Julian Guerrero, will help shore up the midfield and defensive line. His presence on the back line against Warren was pivotal in holding off the Warren offense.
Guerrero could also see a lot of time at midfield, where he can have more of an impact on both ends of the field. The Griffins finished third in the Sunset League last year, two wins behind Huntington Beach and Edison and just one win ahead of Fountain Valley.The Sunset League is traditionally a tough and balanced league and if the Griffins are to compete for a league title down the stretch, it will depend on how they develop through the first half of the season. For Martinez and his staff, that will require them to make sure the players are ready to play.
“We just have to be physically and mentally prepared,” Martinez said.