Boys’ soccer: Steres inspires Calabasas’ title hopes

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Last season wasn’t the most memorable one for Calabasas. With six freshmen on the roster and talented scorer Daniel Steres sidelined for most of the season with a broken thumb, the Coyotes howled their way to a fifth-place finish in the Marmonte League.

However, the Coyotes aren’t chasing their tails anymore. Thanks to having a healthy Steres back in the lineup and more experience under their coats [they’ve got nine seniors on the roster], Calabasas is a contender for the league title. Heading into this evening’s showdown with first-place Newbury Park, the Coyotes, tied for second place, are not only looking for redemption, but also for a chance to prove they are legitimate title-contenders.

And the San Diego State-bound Steres has been at the forefront of that charge with nine goals and seven assists.

‘Daniel is healthy this year and that’s what has helped us more than anything,’ Coach Kurt Millet said. ‘He’s a real leader for us.... He finds ways to motivate the players and can change the momentum of the team.’

The question is whether Steres and the rest of the pack can find a way to beat a first-place Panther team that knocked them around for a 4-1 loss on Dec. 14. If they can, and Steres can manage to put a ball or two in the back of the net, it’ll be a great way for the Coyotes to signal their return to the top of the league’s food chain.

-- Austin Knoblauch