BOYS' SOCCER PREVIEW: SCARRED BUT SMARTER TALENTED CANYON LEARNING FROM ITS EARLY MISTAKES.Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer CANYON COUNTRY - The wake-up call sounded early. Last season, the Canyon High boys' soccer team won its first Foothill League title in several years by using a group determined to return to the playoffs after a three-year absence. However, by the time the Cowboys cowboys, in American history. 1 Tory marauders, adherents to the British cause in the American Revolution, who fought in the contested area of Westchester co., N.Y. reached the playoffs, they were buying into talk about how talented they were, and they lost in the first round. The realization about the danger of being overconfident o·ver·con·fi·dent adj. Excessively confident; presumptuous. o  ver·con was reinforced in this season's first game as the Canyon team, touted as being better than last season, lost to Quartz Hill. Having the lesson in humility Humility See also Modesty. Humorousness (See WITTINESS.) Bernadette Soubirous, St. humble girl to whom Virgin Mary appeared. [Christian Hagiog.: Attwater, 65–66] Bonaventura, St. washes dishes even though a cardinal. taught so early can be just what the Cowboys need to live up to lofty expectations. Canyon, which was 3-1 entering the championship round of this weekend's Burroughs tournament, is favored to repeat at Foothill champions and break the league's history of first-round playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. elimination. ``I think we already had the wake-up call,'' Cowboys coach Pete Getz said. ``Quartz Hill, they just destroyed us. ... I think the guys were confident, overconfident. That knocked them off their pedestal pedestal In Classical architecture, a support or base for a column, statue, vase, or obelisk. It may be square, octagonal, or circular. A single pedestal may also support a group of columns, or colonnade (see podium). . We got hammered ham·mered adj. 1. Shaped or worked with a metalworker's hammer and often showing the marks of these tools: a bowl of hammered brass. 2. Slang Drunk or intoxicated. Adj. . I think it was a good thing. If it wasn't against Quartz Hill, it would have been against another team, and as you get closer to league and further into the season, that's scary to worry about. It's good we already had that game.'' They also have plenty of talent. Canyon returns its entire defense, led by senior captains Ceasar Aguilar and Jamshir Lakdawala. The defense allowed nine goals in 10 league games last season and has become stingier with experience. The defenders are backed up by a pair of capable goalkeepers. Senior Moses Morrison transferred from Valencia and was expected to start in goal, but knee problems have kept him out of the lineup A criminal investigation technique in which the police arrange a number of individuals in a row before a witness to a crime and ask the witness to identify which, if any, of the individuals committed the crime. . Bryan Louzil has started in Morrison's place and is doing well enough to make Getz unsure how he will split time when both keepers are available. ``They're both good,'' Getz said. ``Either way, I'm in a pretty good position.'' Sophomore strikers Landon Llamas and James Wolfe ensure the Cowboys' offense also is in a good position despite the graduation of last season's leading scorers. Canyon would like to improve its play in the midfield mid·field n. Sports 1. The section of a playing field midway between goals. 2. Players whose usual positions are in the midfield. mid and needs to win more 50-50 balls but is encouraged by the fact it realizes there is room for improvement. ``I think it'll be a good year for us if we can iron out the kinks,'' Getz said. Opponents already are impressed. ``The team to beat this year is Canyon,'' Saugus coach Nate Wright Nate Wright played professional American football in the NFL from 1969-1980. Professional Career Wright earned All-Pro honors at defensive back in 1974 and 1976. He career consisted mostly of time as a defensive back with the great Minnesota Vikings teams of the 1970s. said. ``Canyon is really sharp this year.'' Valencia coach Vince Ferry agreed. ``Canyon is stronger than last year,'' he said. Stronger and wiser. ``They really want to win league,'' Getz said. ``But they also really want to win in playoffs. They were really upset with last year because they lost in the first round of CIF (1) (Common Intermediate Format) A standard video format used in videoconferencing. CIF formats are defined by their resolution, and standards both above and below the original resolution have been established. The original CIF is also known as Full CIF (FCIF). . They really wanted to do well in CIF. They keep bringing that up. They were really let down by that. It's a growing process and a learning process. They've already gone through some more of that learning process this year, so hopefully that's a good thing.'' AT A GLANCE Team: Canyon boys' soccer Coach: Pete Getz, 4th season Last season: 20-7-3, 8-0-2, Foothill League champions Top returnees: Jason Abdullah, Sr., MF; Ceasar Aguilar, Sr., D; Jamshir Lakdawala, Sr., D; Brandon Migdol, Jr., F. Top newcomers: Landon Llamas, So., F; Jeff Lucertero, Jr.,MF; Moses Morrison, Sr., GK; James Wolfe, So., F. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Ceasar Aguilar, left, is back to anchor Canyon's formidable defense, which allowed only nine goals in 10 league games last season. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer Box: AT A GLANCE (see text) |
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