SCC'S DO-IT-ALL GANZ CAPTAINS SOCCER TEAM HE PETITIONED SCHOOL TO START.

Byline: Lauren Gustus Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY - Matt Ganz, now a senior captain on the Santa Clarita Christian boys' soccer team, didn't play for the Cardinals his freshman year. But it wasn't because he wasn't good enough, or because he didn't want to.

Ganz was itching to play. But Santa Clarita Christian didn't offer a boys' soccer program, so it would not be possible for him to lace up his cleats with the Cardinals that year.

But Ganz, along with Jason Cooper, son of current Cardinals coach Steve Cooper and at the time a junior at Santa Clarita Christian, petitioned the school to start a team.

``We talked to the principal about it,'' Ganz said. ``And before I became a sophomore they let us have a team.''

The school couldn't have made a better decision. Last year the team was co-champions of the Westside League, and Tuesday the Cardinals (9-1, 6-0) secured at least another co-championship with a 4-1 win over Hillcrest Christian of Thousand Oaks.

Usually, it's the basketball team at Santa Clarita Christian that draws most of the attention. But Ganz believes in the soccer program.

``Since our school is predominantly basketball we were excited to have another sport to play that we would actually care about,'' he said.

In the three years since the team's inception, Ganz has been a major contributor to its success. He patrols the back of the field as a sweeper, reining in long-ball attempts from the opposition. His mop of curly black hair looks as if it would interfere with heading balls, but Ganz relies on the move to clear the 18-yard box. He directs the defensive setup on corners and free kicks and clearly is the Cardinals' leader.

``He's showed great leadership, not only in games,'' coach Steve Cooper said. ``He has really come along.''

Ganz is one of three seniors - senior Kevin Canning is also a captain - and the Cardinals' best offensive threats are sophomores Olrandi Pena and Kyle Doty. Although Ganz also was a team captain last year, after the team lost six seniors to graduation, it was his turn to formally step into the role this year. And the younger set has taken notice.

``If we goof off a little bit he keeps us straight and keeps the team focused,'' Doty said. ``He's not too serious, but when it comes to game time he starts to get more and more ready.''

Ganz was absent for the Cardinals' only loss, to Campbell Hall of North Hollywood, in a nonleague game early in the season.

Santa Clarita Christian is trying to balance a building-for-the-future philosophy with an improvement on last year's Southern Section playoff performance, according to Cooper.

The coach has committed to building a strong program, which means keeping every player that tried out for the team and getting nonstarters generous chunks of playing time when the Cardinals are clearly in control of a game.

Last year, Santa Clarita Christian lost in the first round of the Southern Section Division VI playoffs, to Salesian, and the Cardinals want to better that finish.

But whether the game is a blowout or neck-and-neck, whether looking to cement the Cardinals' soccer program or stretch it further than it has been before, you will find one person is always on the field: Ganz, wearing No. 8 and the red captain's armband.

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Matt Ganz has captained consecutive league-title soccer teams after urging S.C. Christian to start the program.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News