To New Taft Coach, It’s All Relative

In addition to victories and losses, there could be some family ties among the boys’ soccer results from the Northwest Valley Conference this season.

The family in question is the Gwins of Tarzana, which includes parents Jim and Penny and their son Jake, the first-year coach at Taft.

Household relations are on the line when Taft plays El Camino Real, where Penny is an assistant principal, or Granada Hills, where Jim holds the same position.

Jake Gwin, a 1989 Taft graduate who played at UC Davis and has been a lower-level professional player for the last five years, lost the first such matchup Monday when his Toreadors fell to El Camino Real, 3-0.

“My mom didn’t know what to say for me afterward and neither did I,” Jake Gwin said. “I was embarrassed and disappointed.”

Despite the conflicting emotions, Jake Gwin said he believes his parents are solidly in his corner.

“Outwardly they root for their schools but I think inwardly they want me to be successful,” he said.

*

La Reina, long one of the region’s top girls’ teams, is sporting a senior-free look this season.

Kim Albert is the team’s only junior and she has nine sophomores and six freshmen for teammates.

Joe Laranetta, beginning his 16th season as the Regents’ coach, has guided them to 12 consecutive postseason appearances. While acknowledging he has not had a team as inexperienced since his first season, Laranetta isn’t conceding the end of that string.

“I’m not going to give up on first or second place right now,” said Laranetta, whose first team was 0-10-1. “A lot of good things have to happen but we have the talent.”

*

Last Saturday was almost surreal for the Thousand Oaks boys’ team, which not only experienced two shootouts at the Miliken tournament, but needed to go to an astounding 22 shooters before its second-round game with Lakewood was decided.

The Lancers first defeated Fontana, 5-4, in a shootout after tying their opening round game, 1-1, in regulation. After tying Lakewood, 3-3, Thousand Oaks fell in that shootout, 17-16.

“It took at least 15 minutes,” said Mark Tietjen, whose team was beaten when its final shooter, Brandon Moritz, had his shot stopped. “We had to keep stopping to confer [on the rules] and one referee spoke no English and the other was very limited. I had to have a couple of my Spanish-speaking kids translate for me.”

Although he could have used all 19 of his players in the shootout, Tietjen chose to use the same 11 twice. Moritz had to be ordered to participate, the coach said.

“We don’t have 11 guys who want the pressure of taking a penalty shot,” Tietjen said. “Brandon wasn’t at all enthused about it. We had to make him.”

Even more amazing, had Moritz tied the shootout, 17-17, another five-shot round would have followed, meaning a minimum of 27 shooters would have stepped to the stripe. Thousand Oaks (0-0-4) will play for ninth place in the tournament next weekend.

“It’s been a strange season already,” Tietjen said. “We’re winless but undefeated.”

*

Chatsworth’s quest for its fourth consecutive City Section 4-A girls’ title could be in jeopardy if the Chancellors don’t find a capable goalkeeper to replace starter Tina Essington, who is academically ineligible.

Chatsworth (1-0-1) tied Calabasas and narrowly defeated Thousand Oaks. The goalkeeper is Cari Downey, a converted defender who made five saves against Thousand Oaks but bobbled nearly every ball she touched.

“She needs some more work but she’ll improve,” Coach Jack Sidwell of Chatsworth said. “She has an awfully good defense in front of her.”

Sidwell said midfielders Shannon DeVos and Tricia Arosemena or forward Leila Pate might be moved back to play goalkeeper. Essington could be eligible for a playoff run in February if her grades improve.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Top 5

Rankings of soccer teams from the region

BOYS

*--*

RK LW School (League) 1 1 Reseda (Valley Pac-8) 2 4 El Camino Real (NW Valley) 3 5 Birmingham (NW Valley) 4 NR Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 5 NR Monroe (Valley Pac-8)

*--*

GIRLS

*--*

RK LW School (League) 1 2 Westlake (Marmonte) 2 3 Buena (Channel) 3 1 Chaminade (Mission) 4 4 Hart (Foothill) 5 5 Chatsworth (Coast/Valley)

*--*