Pacific Christian Is Off to a Fast Start in Soccer

Pacific Christian advanced to the championship game of the National Christian College Athletic Assn. men’s soccer playoffs last season, but the Royals are hungry for more.

They’re off to a 6-2-1 start this season, the best during the six-year tenure of Coach Rich Davis, with the only losses to traditionally strong Biola and Judson (Elgin, Ill.).

“We still haven’t played to our potential yet,” Davis said. “We’re young as a team.”

Though 10 starters return from a squad that finished 13-8-2, two-thirds of Davis’ roster is comprised of freshmen or sophomores.

One of two seniors on the team is Josh Lee, who scored game-winning overtime goals against Claremont on Sept. 20 and against Cal Baptist on Sept. 24. Alex Gimenez, a senior from Westminster High, has four goals and eight assists to key a balanced attack.

Alex’s brother, Leo, is a freshman and leads the team with five goals along with Donald Laing, a junior from Kingston, Jamaica. Laing led the team in scoring and was an NCCAA All-American selection last season.

Laing is one of eight Jamaicans on the roster. Sophomore defender Thoreau Prendergast and freshman midfielder Luckisse Williams are two others from Jamaica playing prominent roles.

And the Royals are flourishing with the school’s recent move from NCCAA Division I to NAIA status.

“Our funding for the athletic program has gone up to about $200,000 this year,” Athletic Director Glenn Snyder said. “That will increase to about $300,000 next year.”

And beginning in fall ‘98, Snyder said Pacific Christian will become a member of the Golden State Athletic Conference, adding men’s and women’s tennis teams to its program. Concordia and Southern California College also are members of the GSAC.

Although Pacific Christian is now a Far West NAIA independent, Davis’ team can qualify for either the NAIA or NCCAA playoffs. But he isn’t overly concerned with his team’s postseason hopes.

“The only thing I’m concerned about is that our guys are playing to the best of their ability,” Davis said. “Everything else will fall into place.”