CITY SECTION SOCCER PREVIEW : Styles Differ, Goals Similar in Mid-Valley

A contrast in coaching styles.

The conservative tone of Kennedy High Coach Fred Singer versus the brashness of Monroe’s Les Sasvary.

Singer’s perennially tough Golden Cougars are favored by many to win the Mid-Valley League. Yet he says, “I don’t believe in picking teams to win the league. We just play one game at a time and don’t look to the future.”

Sasvary started the Viking program in 1977 and has yet to win a league title. “Kennedy’s getting weaker and weaker each year,” he said. “This might be our year. We’re very experienced and have a lot of speed.”

Goalie Carlos Medina leads Monroe’s attempt to put Sasvary’s words into action. Medina, a junior, was academically ineligible last season. “Carlos is just an excellent athlete,” Sasvary said. “He’s probably one of the top three goalies in the City.”

Offensively, second team All-City choice James Kucka and Sergio Vargas should do most of the scoring for the Vikings.

Defending league champion Kennedy has not been able to establish key positions, especially on offense. Juniors Mike McDonald and John McIlvery are rotating between midfield and forward positions and both are expected to provide scoring punch. Returning seniors Todd Sanneman and Eric Olson are keys for Kennedy’s defense.

MID-VALLEY LEAGUE

Birmingham: Birmingham could challenge either Kennedy or Monroe. The strength of the Braves lies in their front line and goalie Mike Burns. Burns, a fourth-year player, is also the punter and field-goal kicker on the football team. The front line is centered on senior Adolpho Perez. Juniors Elmer Martinez and Ricardo Sanchez join Perez on the front line.

San Fernando: After missing the playoffs last season by one point, the Tigers are optimistic about qualifying this year. “We have the same team that finished third at the Los Angeles Games,” said Arturo Vazquez, San Fernando’s coach. Junior Mario Velasco and senior Luis Lopez will provide most of the offense for the Tigers and sophomore Juan Marino adds depth to the defense.

Granada Hills: The Highlanders are a young team coming off a next-to-last-place finish last year. In her fourth year as head coach, Midge Miller has only four seniors starting on her team, which features 13 sophomores.

Van Nuys: The Wolves are another rebuilding Mid-Valley team. “We’re working well together,” said Kathy Lambert, Van Nuys’ new coach. The team will be helped by the addition of Cunewt Karacuha, a versatile player who might play at halfback or fullback, and sweeper Christian Kraft. Both are sophomores.

WEST VALLEY LEAGUE

Chatsworth: League champions seven of the past eight years, the Chancellors are favored again. Last season they were defeated by eventual City champion San Pedro in the quarterfinals. The strength of the Chancellors will be depth, according to Coach Richard Doran. Returning for Chatsworth is first team All-League fullback Ron Mertzel.

Reseda: Depth will be the biggest problem for the Regents, who likely will battle Chatsworth for the league title. “We’re solid for our first eight players,” Coach George Hull said, “but when you hit the bench we have problems.” All-City seniors Terry Davila and Robert Feretta also return.

Taft: First-year Coach Doug Nagorien hopes the Toreadors are going to bounce back from last season, when they won their first league game and went on to lose the rest. The biggest improvement is junior Meir Cohen, who played for the Israeli Junior National team last year.

Canoga Park: Junior Carlos Cortez will be Canoga Park’s goalie, replacing Anthony Feurer, now playing in Europe. With Feurer, the Hunters would make a strong challenge for the league title. Offensively, Canoga Park is led by Rob Bird, a two-year All-City forward.

Cleveland: The Cavaliers might be the surprise of the season with two first-team and two second-team All-League players returning from last season’s third-place team. The strength of the Cavaliers will be midfielders Mark Rinsmuth and Jason Steinberg.

El Camino Real: Ramon Diaz is back as the Conquistadores’ coach after guiding the team in 1984. Senior Michael Kato, who led the team in scoring last season, returns at forward. Senior Kenny Erenberg will be the goalie.

EAST VALLEY LEAGUE

Polytechnic: After last week’s 2-1 victory in a scrimmage against Dorsey, Coach Frank Sandoval thinks his team might be the one to beat after finishing third in the City last season. The team’s leading scorer last season, senior Juan Carlos Veloz, returns at middle-forward.

Grant: The Lancers usually are strong contenders for the league title but inexperience could hurt this season--Pat Pinkston’s team has only five returning letterman. Junior Nelson Cruz, who has no high school experience, will play goalie.

North Hollywood: The biggest problem Coach Lowell Thomas will have to cope with is the absence of Julio and Jose Umana, who are academically ineligible until late November. Senior Samantha Tweddell is the only female goalie in the league.