Lights Turn On SCC Soccer Players, Fans

Although the lights above the Southern California College soccer field this season took several years to be raised, SCC Coach Dave McLeish says they were definitely worth the wait.

Now the Vanguards can play night matches, and McLeish says an average of 400 to 500 people attended each of the first four matches under the lights.

“It beats playing at 3 in the afternoon on a weekday when no one can get there,” McLeish said.

The light standards were donated four years ago by Los Caballeros Sports Village in Fountain Valley, and since then the college has been working to refurbish them and raise the funds for installation.

“One thing I like about SCC is progress may be slow here, but there’s always progress,” McLeish said.

The Vanguards are making progress on the soccer field as well. When McLeish took over the program in 1985, he had only four “real” players with whom to work; the remainder of the roster was filled with walk-ons. At one point, the situation got so desperate because of injuries that signs were posted on campus asking anyone who could run and had ever played soccer to join the team.

One of the replacements was a former hockey player.

Despite the rocky beginnings, McLeish’s teams have qualified for the NAIA District 3 playoffs in four of his seven seasons as coach.

Last season, the Vanguards lost in the first round to The Master’s, the eventual district champion, in three overtimes.

This season, they are 6-4 entering their Golden West Athletic Conference opener Saturday at Westmont.

McLeish is bullish about the Vanguards’ prospects. The six senior starters who return for their final season are joined by three promising freshmen.

“I think this year is one year where we have a chance to win the whole thing,” McLeish said.

It won’t be easy. Westmont is ranked fifth in the nation in this week’s NAIA poll. Fresno Pacific is ranked No. 16.

The Vanguards have three players who are among the top 10 scorers in the district. Carlos Miramontes is fourth with 20 points (eight goals, four assists), Greg Olson is seventh (three goals, seven assists) and Alberto Miramontes is tied for ninth (four goals, three assists). The Miramontes brothers--Carlos is a senior and Alberto a junior--attended Sunny Hills High.

McLeish said Olson, a senior forward from Santa Cruz, is among the best dribblers in the United States.

Goalkeeper Miguel LaMotte, a four-year starter who played at San Clemente High, has the lowest goals-against average in the district. LaMotte has allowed five goals in eight matches this season.

Scott Dameron, a senior defender from La Quinta High, anchors the defense from his center fullback position.

The three freshmen starters each have a connection to local high school soccer power Santa Ana. Midfielder Hector Perez and fullback Martin Cervantes played for the Saints and midfielder Bill Pacieznik, from Minneapolis, is the brother of Santa Ana Coach Bob Pacieznik.

“We felt we had a pretty good team last year--we were 8-11-1 and because of the size of our school, anytime we get close to .500 we feel good--but I think with everybody coming back and the new players coming in we have an even better chance this year.

“It has taken a long time, but I think the program is in a place where it is going to be solid and in a good place every year.”

Notes

Scott Zinser, goalkeeper for the Chapman men’s soccer team, continues to perform well in place of Craig Bennett, who is out for the season because of a knee injury. Zinser, a freshman from Katella, had 16 saves Saturday in the Panthers’ 2-1 loss to No. 3-ranked Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. . . . After going scoreless in three consecutive losses, the Chapman women’s soccer team broke through with 18 goals in four consecutive victories. Chapman (5-3) plays host to Whittier at 7 p.m. today. With eleven regular-season matches remaining, the Panthers have already matched their victory total of last year, when they were 5-13-1.