Like their girls basketball counterparts, the Anzar High girls soccer team has a tendency to play-up in the preseason.
With the exception of perhaps Carmel (L 3-1), each of the Hawks' preseason opponents to date play in a higher division, including Aptos (L 7-0), North Monterey County (L 6-1) and Pajaro Valley (T 2-2).
So although it may appear the defending champs of the Coastal Athletic League are off to a rough start, Anzar's 0-3-1 preseason record should probably be taken with a grain of salt.
And why not? The Hawks started last season with a 1-3 record, but finished on a 9-1-2 mark and qualified for the Central Coast Section Division III playoffs for the first time in school history.
"And I think we're gonna have a real good chance," said new coach Albert Flores, who will help make up a four-man staff this year that includes Elder Valoroso, Robert Taylor and Joe Johnson. "I'm thinking it's gonna be a good season."
The four coaches replace Deric McLean, who coached Anzar to a 10-5-2 record last season, as well as a CAL crown and CCS bid - two titles this year's Hawks wouldn't mind putting next to their resume for a second straight season.
Anzar opened CAL play on Monday at home to Calvary Christian with a 5-2 win, and were led by five different scorers, including Lauren Bellone, Michelle Chatley, Cristina Medina, Erin Deleissegues and Shelby Keldsen.
With some league opponents expected to be weaker - Anzar defeated Calvary twice last season by a combined 20-0 margin, for instance - Flores does not want his team to look past any opponent.
"I told them that was last year and this year is this year," he said. "And you never know. I can't really foresee what we're gonna be up against (in the CAL)."
Pacific Collegiate, which was Anzar's main competition for first place last season, is expected to put up a similar fight this year. The Pumas already boast a 2-3 preseason record, with wins over Salinas and St. Francis Central Coast Catholic.
Anzar will square off against Pacific Collegiate on Jan. 21 and Feb. 6.
"We're just gonna go in with an attitude that we're playing a tough team each time out," Flores said.
As far as the Hawks themselves go, Flores said the team practiced through the holidays and are recently showing progressive strides on offense. After being a little "shaken" early on in the season, Anzar's 17-girl roster is coming along nicely.
Anchored in net by Deleissegues - the strength of the team, Flores said - Anzar returns Chatley, Jen Gross and Olivia Fiori from last year's historic squad. Plenty of freshmen fill the remaining spots, Flores said, while one of the few weaknesses the coach has seen so far is the high number of girls who use inhalers, leading to frequent substitutions in the four games to date.
"We've been working a lot on offense and I'm seeing a lot of progress the last two weeks," Flores said. "They're getting it down and it's happening."
Andrew Matheson Andrew Matheson is a sports writer for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 334 or at amatheson@svnewspapers.com.
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