Walnut Gets Its Kicks on Soccer Field : Preps: Unbeaten boys’ team goes for second Southern Section 1-A Division championship in three years. : WALNUT

It’s been a busy few weeks at Walnut High, especially for Athletic Director Doug Doner.

Walnut teams qualified for the playoffs in boys’ and girls’ basketball and boys’ and girls’ soccer. Doner’s responsibilities include making travel arrangements, coordinating event supervision and encouraging the school’s coaching staff and athletes as they chart their way through the postseason.

And as coach of the boys’ soccer team, Doner is trying to keep his own players focused for a run at an unbeaten season and Walnut’s second Southern Section 1-A Division championship in three years.

Walnut opened the playoffs seeded second behind La Canada, a spot the Mustangs occupied for most of the season in the 1-A rankings. Walnut defeated Barstow in the first round of the playoffs and beat Santa Paula, 3-0, on Tuesday.

Walnut takes a 22-0-1 record into its quarterfinal game against Corona del Mar on Friday. The only blemish on the Mustangs’ record was an early season tie against Don Lugo.

“You have to be good and little bit lucky to win a CIF championship,” said Doner, who is in his 10th season as varsity coach. “When we won it two years ago, part of the luck was that we weren’t rated--we didn’t even have a league. A lot of people didn’t think a whole lot about us and we ended up beating the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds.

“When you come in as a seeded team and have been ranked all year, the opposite happens. It’s a different role for our kids, but I think they’re capable of handling it.”

Several players on this year’s team, including two-time All-Southern Section forward Jerry Laterza and two-time All-Southern Section goalie Kyle Buz’zard, were sophomores when Walnut made its improbable run to the 1990 title.

Entering Tuesday’s game against Santa Paula, Laterza--the son of a former professional soccer player--had scored 36 of the Mustangs’ 81 goals and assisted on 25 others.

“Jerry is in a world of his own,” said junior forward Tommy Vazquez, who also played for the 1990 championship team. “If we’re not on track or the other team scores, he takes the game into his own hands. Somehow or another he has something to do with our goals--starting it, ending it or something in the middle.”

Laterza, who will attend Southern Methodist University on a soccer scholarship next year, maintains that he is far from the Mustangs’ only weapon. Playing together for a number of years, Laterza said, has made everyone better, including himself.

“The other players know what I’m going to do and I know where they are going to be,” Laterza said. “If I make a no-look pass, it works because one of the other players is there to receive it.”

The Mustangs play senior Mike Trujillo at forward along with Laterza and Trujillo. Seniors Mike Tran and Jeff Owen and junior Eric Garcia patrol the midfield.

“The midfield has been effective all year,” Doner said. “Mike is an exceptional passer and can shoot. Jeff isn’t real flashy, but he’s like our anchor because he’s so steady. Ernie is just a good, tough kid who does a great job.”

Buz’zard has allowed only 18 goals in 23 games, a testament to his individual skills and the Mustangs’ team defense.

Senior sweeper Brandon Martin was selected as the most valuable player of the Wilson tournament in December and has cut off innumerable scoring opportunities throughout the season.

Junior fullbacks Armando Aguirre and Ricky Flores and senior fullback Eric Torres also have been solid, as has just about every Mustang player.

Walnut took on its current role as a potential unbeaten champion when the Mustangs defeated several 4-A teams en route to the Wilson tournament championship.

“I really expected to come out of there with a few losses that would help us in terms of building toward the end of the season,” Doner said. “And staying unbeaten hasn’t been easy. The kids have won games in overtime, others where they had to come from behind and others where we were shorthanded.

“Getting through those kinds of situations will really help as we go further into the playoffs.”

Last season, Walnut was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Saddleback. Vazquez, among others, does not expect another early exit.

“The guys who have been around here for a few years got a taste of winning (a championship) and a taste of losing it,” Vazquez said. “They know which one they like better.”