El Camino Real Boys Get Quite a Rude Awakening

The El Camino Real High boys’ soccer team entered last week’s Trabuco Hills tournament as one of the hottest teams in Southern California. The Conquistadores left with a reality check.

After a 2-1 victory over Santa Ana Saddleback in the first round, the Conquistadores lost to Irvine Woodbridge, 3-1, and to Santa Ana Foothill, 3-0.

The losses may be a bit deceiving for the Conquistadores (13-2), who had not lost two in a row since December 1998. They played last week without some starters.

Ede Ibekwe forgot to get a ride to a game for the second time this season, Jason Lara sat out a red-card suspension, Yan Falkinstein was injured and Gianni Facio was vacationing in Argentina.

“I think we’ll play better now that we have a loss. We are more relaxed now,” defender Zack Feldman said. “It’s kind of weird to be the No. 1 team in the area and having a losing streak. It’s a combination of a lot of things. I think we need a break from soccer. I’m sure we’ll go undefeated in West Valley League and win the City championship.”

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Royal’s 18-game schedule in December ended with great success.

The Highlanders (15-3-1) advanced to the championship games of the Burroughs, Royal and Upland tournaments but lost all three.

“It’s a situation where you don’t want to be second place or what you would call the bridesmaid, but it’s been a good month for us,” Coach Andy Silva said. “How many other teams have gotten this far in this many tournaments?”

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Reseda’s alumni game on Tuesday was more like a family reunion.

The Regents have four juniors whose older brothers excelled at Reseda: Jesse and William Diaz (Class of 1996), Norman and Jose Mejia (1995), William and Oscar Sims (1998) and Gabriel and Jesse Venegas (1991).

“It was fun,” Norman said. “It’s one of the things all the players look forward to. You are playing against the people you look up to.”

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Coaching against Van Nuys in last week’s Hart tournament was special for Federico Arroyo of Harvard-Westlake.

Arroyo graduated from Van Nuys and his younger brother, Miguel, plays for the Wolves.

No one got bragging rights because the game was a 3-3 tie.

“We bet an old Van Nuys jersey,” Federico said. “I wanted to win, but it was good to tie because . . . it would have been painful beating them.”

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With a player on the under-20 national team, midfielder Mike Enfield, it would figure Ventura would dominate boys’ soccer in the region. It hasn’t worked out.

The Cougars (9-2-3) are 2-2-2 in their last six games and have not impressed in the others.

Enfield, who is headed for UCLA, has played in eight games and scored only two goals.

“Our key players from last year aren’t giving us what we need this year,” Coach Todd Tackett said. “Last year’s team had role models on the playing field and this year we are having a problem with it.”

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No one was more surprised about Hart advancing to its tournament final than Indian Coach Robert Ciccone.

Five starters, including leading scorer Mike Caso, were on vacation.

The Indians (10-5-3) lost to Reseda, 2-1, in the final.

“Having [only] half of the soccer lineup and going to the finals against Reseda was a surprise for me,” Ciccone said. “[The Indians] believe in each other now. They trust each other.”

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The Top 10

Rankings of boys’ soccer teams in the region

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RK LW School (League) Rec. 1 1 El Camino Real (West Valley) 13-2 2 2 Chaminade (Mission) 7-4-2 3 5 Royal (Marmonte) 15-3-1 4 6 Crespi (Mission) 10-2 5 10 Reseda (Valley Mission) 12-2-1 6 8 Quartz Hill (Foothill) 13-1-1 7 3 St. Francis (Mission) 8-3 8 7 Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 4-2-4 9 4 Ventura (Channel) 9-2-3 10 9 Rio Mesa (Pacific View) 8-5-2

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Records through Thursday