Flintridge Prep boys’ soccer kicks off new year with 5-0 win

GLENDALE — It was the sort of contest the Flintridge Prep boys’ soccer team needed.

After having been roughed up against significantly larger schools in the final week of December in the La Cañada Tournament, the Rebels opened up both 2015 and the Prep League season with a 5-0 victory versus visiting Prep League foe Rio Hondo Prep on Monday afternoon at the Glendale Sports Complex.

“It feels good to win and to play well,” said Flintridge Prep Coach AJ Yates, who celebrated his birthday Monday. “We knew that Rio Hondo was going to use a defensive strategy and load the box against us. It worked for a while, but we did a good job of passing and found some scores.”

With the victory, the Rebels snapped a four-match losing streak that improved Flintridge Prep’s record to 6-5-2 overall, while the Kares fell to 3-6 overall and 0-3 in league with each league defeat having come by identical scores of 5-0.

While the final score was impressive, perhaps Flintridge Prep’s overall siege was even more resounding.

Even though the Kares played a strictly defensive contest, the Rebels didn’t change their formation and kept three defenders back.

Overall, Flintridge Prep finished with 36 shots, while not allowing one the other way.

Rebels senior forward William Penn led the way with two goals, the first coming in the 10th minute off an assist from freshman Tim Treinen that put Flintridge Prep up, 2-0.

Penn later kick-started the second half with a goal on a 15-yard shot in the 42nd minute that was helped set up via a crisp cross from Ramzi Beshir. Penn’s second goal put his team ahead, 4-0.

“We knew they were going to stay on defense and try to slow down the game,” Penn said. “That didn’t stop our focus from trying to score.”

Flintridge Prep virtually sealed the contest with three goals through the first 17 minutes.

Rebels senior Ari Baranian broke the ice by dribbling between two defenders and scoring off a pass from Riley Jones in the seventh minute.

Treinen, who had set up the Rebels’ second score, then netted his own goal in the 17th minute thanks to an assist from Aidan Schrader.

Flintridge Prep’s last score came in the 67th minute when Christopher Tan joined the party with a goal on a final assist attributed to Baranian.

Despite the score, Kares starting goalie Steven Wheeler kept his team competitive with eight saves, including back-to-back stuffs in the 39th minute that kept Rio Hondo Prep down three at halftime.

Flintridge Prep’s contest Monday was the first for the Rebels since Dec. 30 and will stand as the team’s lone action until Jan. 21, when Flintridge Prep returns to league action at new league opponent Lynwood Firebaugh.