The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
Lakewood boys’ soccer is coming off a historic dream season that sometimes gives them nightmares.
The Lancers reached their first CIF championship game since 1985, and their first ever CIF State Regional championship game, but they lost both.
“It happened, and history is history… I feel like we came back more motivated to go back to that level,” senior captain goalkeeper Diego Ortiz said. “We talk about last year because obviously we want to go back and win it this time in league, CIF and State.”
“It was a really fun year, and we wish we would’ve cherished it a little bit more, but it’s also something good for these younger guys to look up to,” coach Alex Diaz said. “It shows that if they’re patient and buy into what we’re trying to do here that anything is possible.”
Lakewood graduated 14 seniors and has a host of underclassmen ready to earn their own glory. However, they won’t have to learn a new way to play under Diaz, who said his Lancers will maintain their high-pressure style.
“We just want to be that team that puts you in situations you don’t want to be in,” Diaz said. “We’re going to press. We’re young so we’re super energetic. We’re just going to do what we do and go from there.”
That all starts with Ortiz in goal where he’s been since he was a freshman and still appreciates his coaches consistency.
“He always sticks to his plan and we always trust him on that,” Ortiz said. “We all have confidence in our coach.”
Ortiz (left) is also responsible for orchestrating movement and ball distribution when Lakewood builds out of the back. He said he practices to straighten his weaker foot and ball control by kicking it against a wall by himself and playing the bounce.
“We want to play out the back,” Diaz said. “(Ortiz) has been a big part of that the last couple of years by keeping his composure.”
Lakewood does have a pair of experienced defenders in junior Zaid Hernandez and sophomore Osiel Morales. Hernandez has played Varsity since he was a freshman while filling a key role at center back.
“He moves the ball well, sticks to his ground and he doesn’t give up,” Ortiz said of Hernandez. “He’s confident in himself and I’m confident in him too.”
Morales played the first half of last season on the freshman team, and after he got called up to Varsity for the second half of league play, he started the rest of the games including the playoffs.
“He’s young but plays mature and he’s willing to do anything for his team,” Diaz said of Morales. “He’s going to have to use that experience from last year to push these guys on the back line.”
Sophomores Jason Lara and Santiago Carreno fill out the rest of the back line.
Junior Brian Pioquinto is back to lead the midfield after scoring goals in the playoffs last year. He will be joined by newcomers like sophomore Jaden Hamilton and freshman Angel Vazquez. Hamilton came off the bench last year and has played within the Jamaican national team program. Vazquez earned this opportunity by doing the dirty work for his fellow midfielders during offseason scrimmage, according to Diaz.
All of the Lancers will be trying to free up their most dangerous scoring option, and that is undoubtedly junior Michael Gutierrez. The All-Moore League striker burst onto the scene as an underclassman and scored five goals in five CIF-SS playoff games last season. Diaz wants to isolate Gutierrez (pictured above) more this season because teams know about him now, but said that composure and patience will be the key to scoring goals for his striker.
Sophomores Joseph Ramos and Edgar Melgarejo will join Gutierrez up top. They both scored a lot for a very successful freshman team last year, and were both called up for the playoff run.
Lakewood will be challenged with this year’s schedule. It includes teams that made deep playoff runs as well last year like Paramount and Banning. The Lancers will also host part of the 32-team South East tournament. Eight teams will play at new John Ford Stadium where they might also play the tournament final.
“We’re young and we have to prepare ourselves for what’s coming,” Diaz said. “We know there’s going to be games when we struggle just because we’re young, so we’re going to have to find grit and hunger to finish games off. Soccer is a weird sport, and sometimes you just need one game to fall your way and after that it clicks.”
