El Camino Real Kicks Into Higher Gear

El Camino Real High Coach David Hussey knew his boys’ soccer team would have to overcome many types of adversity if it was to finish undefeated for the first time in school history.

Playing without four key starters and a valuable reserve against a hot Thousand Oaks team, the Conquistadores stared adversity in the eye Friday afternoon during a quarterfinal game of the Royal tournament.

The Conquistadores, ranked No. 1 in the region by The Times, passed their first severe test, earning a 2-0 victory.

In a semifinal later in the day, Yan Falkinstein of El Camino Real scored in the 60th minute of a 1-0 victory over Oxnard. El Camino Real faces Royal in the championship game today.

“We always talk about adversity and during the holidays we knew we would find out if we are truly a good team from player one to 25,” said Hussey, who missed one player because of a red-card suspension, one because of illness, another because he forgot to arrange a ride to the game, one who was out of the country and another who attended a religious function.

The Conquistadores (11-0), the only undefeated large school in the region, got off to a slow start in the first half against Thousand Oaks, but forward Jason Lara kick-started the offense with a goal in the 39th minute.

“I think we played well,” El Camino Real midfielder Michael Gordon said. “We weren’t thinking about who we didn’t have, we were thinking about who we did have. We had confidence in the guys that came off the bench.”

With the Lancers (4-2-4) struggling to create offense, the Conquistadores scored again in the 68th minute, reserve forward George Cardenas dribbling around goalkeeper Kevin Alarcon Jr. and tapping the ball over the line.

“We have three or four guys that can do the same job I can,” said Lara, who has seven of the team’s 20 goals.

Thousand Oaks’ lone scoring opportunity came in the 47th minute, when Troy Krill’s shot went through the legs of goalkeeper Raul Calderon but was cleared by a defender.