The seniors on the Servite boys soccer team stood side by side on the field, stretching out wide to cover every inch of the goal, from one post to the other.
It was Servite’s picture day, and this was just one of the poses the Friars were forced to endure. But of all the photos taken that day, it was the one of the Friars forming a wall that was worth a thousand words.
Servite is going to have the goal covered this season.
All but one starter returns from last year’s defense which was statistically the best in school history, including senior holding midfielder J.T. Cook and senior goalkeeper Keith Murphy. They were last season’s Trinity League co-Defensive MVPs.
The numbers Servite put up on its way to its second consecutive CIF-SS Division 1 semifinal apearance were staggering.
The Friars gave up only eight goals and ended the season with 18 shutouts, both school records. Three players from last season’s smothering defense are headed to Division 1 colleges. Cook has committed to St. Louis, while Elijah Barajas and Zane Rojas have picked Cal State Fullerton and West Point, respectively. All three will be in the lineup again this season.
“The defense was my rock,” Murphy said. “It was the confidence of the team.”
Murphy held Servite’s first six Trinity League opponents scoreless as he finished the season with a 0.325 goals-against average, the lowest recorded by a Servite goal keeper.
This season will likely be another historic one for Murphy. He is six victories away from becoming the Servite keeper with the most wins, and he needs one more shutout to hold the school record in that category, too. He enters the season with 35 shutouts.
“I am not worried about any numbers. I am worried about putting in the work and winning games,” Murphy said. “The most important thing is to bond as a team and make the best team we can. Our offense is going to come together this year, and hopefully we can mesh that together with our defense and win some games.”
Andrew Acosta, Oscar Flores and Garrett Amador are returing to the midfield. Last year, they combined to post nine goals and 12 assists. Flores has committed to Cal State Fullerton, and he is one of the five returning players with scholarship offers.
“We are really excited (about this season),” Cook said. “We obviously set some really good records last year, and those are going to be hard to beat, but we are going to try and do better. I think we can do much better offensively than we did last year. If we can keep our defense the same as last year, we are going to have a successful season.”
The Friars hope to find the right formula for winning a CIF-SS chamipionship. Two years ago, Spencer’s first year coaching the team, Servite lost to San Clemente in the Division 1 championship match. Last season, Loyola knocked Servite out of the playoffs in the semifinals, beating the Friars on penalty kicks, 10-9.
Cook said those two near-misses are driving the Friars to work harder every day.
“It can get a little stressful, but I think we can deal with it,” Cook said. “We just have to do our jobs every day. We can get it done.”
NEW TOURNAMENT
San Clemente coach Mike Pronier is organizing a 12-game soccer showcase in December that will feature a field of some of the most successful progams in the past four years in the western United States.
Four games will be played each day beginning Dec. 18, finishing with a final match at 6 p.m. on Dec. 20. All games will be played at San Clemente High.
Teams expected to participate include: Buchanan of Clovis, Carlsbad, Century, Servite, Coronado, Loyola of Los Angeles and Brophy Prep of Phoenix, Ariz.
“They (Brophy, Servite and Loyola) all want the elevated competition level to get ready for season,” said Pronier, who led the Tritons to the Division 1 championship match in two of the past three seasons. “ I think based on what we have done the last four years, we were able to have a draw and make it legitimate.”
MORE FROM THE BOYS SOCCER PREVIEW ’14-15:
Boys soccer preview: O.C. Top 10
Boys soccer preview: Top 10 Players to Watch
Boys soccer preview: Other Players to Watch
Boys soccer preview: Important dates
Boys soccer: CIF-SS preseason polls
Contact the writer: ddottore@ocregister.com
