BOYS’ SOCCER PREVIEW:Mustangs look to attack

The focus of this season’s Costa Mesa High boys’ soccer team will be aggression.

It will be important on defense where first-year goalkeeper Saul Diaz, a senior, will need an attack-first mentality to be successful, Mustangs’ Coach Eugene Day said.

“The No. 1 thing to be a good goalkeeper is you can’t be afraid about a guy coming at you with the ball,” Day said. “If I’m stretching my hands out I’m vulnerable. You can’t be afraid. You can’t really teach that. I think [Diaz] is coming around.”

On offense, forwards sophomore Steve Estrada, sophomore Carlos Vargas and junior midfielder-forward Luis Parra will have to shoot first and dribble later, Day said.

“A good forward needs to get the ball, turn and shoot,” Day said. “I tell them from 25 yards in if nobody is around you take the shot.”

And, when it comes to the Mustangs’ new league, the Orange Coast, aggression early will be important with only four teams vying for a league title. The schools in the league, which also includes Estancia, Laguna Beach and Calvary Chapel, will play each other three times.

“If you get momentum early, you’re going to run over everybody,” Day said.

The development of Diaz, who made eight saves in a season-opening, 2-1, loss to Fountain Valley Nov. 27, has been given to Day’s son Louis Day, who was a standout soccer player for the Mustangs, graduating in 2001 as the school’s Male Athlete of the Year.

“He was taught how to be a goalkeeper since he was five,” Eugene Day said of his 6-foot-3 son. “The second most important thing to be a good goalkeeper is soft hands. You have to be able to catch the ball and not let go. The third thing is footwork. Everything else is angles.”

How well Estrada, Vargas, Parra and sophomore midfielder-forward Abel Benitez play on offense will be crucial to the Mustangs’ success.

“Carlos, Steve and Luis those are my three main guys,” Day said. “Steve and Luis those guys want the ball. Carlos has good vision, but he doesn’t have the killer instinct yet. He likes to juke too much. Steve and Luis tell me ‘Get me the ball and I’ll shoot.’ ”

Senior Jay Benny Quiroz, a four-year starter, will lead the defense.

“He’s my main leader,” Day said. “He’s going to be the main player for me this year.”

Also keying the defense and its transition into offense will be senior defender-midfielder John Zapata.

“He’s good on the right side,” Day said. “He always wants to go forward. He knows the position. We just have to get a defensive set down.”

Senior Edgar Ayala will take the left side of the defense and senior Francisco Estrada will be the team’s stopper.

“Francisco, he is pretty quick,” Day said. “He talks a lot. He gets into guys’ heads. When they’re feeling down he keeps them going.”

Junior defender Emanuel Castellon will also play an important role on the defense.

“He learned to tackle well,” Day said. “He’s a big part of our secondary.”

Junior Armando Partida, sophomore Hector Solis and senior Amir Nasiri will contribute in the midfield.

“To be a good midfielder you have to have vision,” Day said. “A midfielder who can see the open space or get the ball from a close space with a defender to an open space. That’s what makes a great midfielder.”

With eight returning starters Day is confident in his team’s chances of competing for a league title and playoff spot.

“We just have to keep our heads up,” Day said. “Most of them are seniors. If they get serious about something they can do it. We have some very good skilled players. They told me ‘Coach this is our year.’ They kind of know it.”