2004 Men's Soccer Preview: Focused, Determined, Wiser Squad Can't Wait to Get Season Started
Lessons learned from 2003 will be applied this year
August 24, 2004

Focused. Determined. And wiser.

That's how Cal State Dominguez Hills' head men's soccer coach Joe Flanagan looks upon the upcoming 2004 soccer season. With focus. Determination. And with a lot of wisdom. Despite losing seniors Victor Guerrero, Eduardo Serrano, Javier Barragan, Chris Wimmer and Eddie Gonzales-Pinto to graduation from a team that enjoyed a 17-3-2 overall and 11-1-2 conference record, a fourth-consecutive central division title and a fourth-consecutive trip to the NCAA postseason tournament, the director of the CSUDH soccer ship can't wait to get this season started.

Coach Joe Flanagan has high hopes for senior Rick Cobb, who Flanagan hopes will emerge as one of the team leaders.

"I want the month of July to be over with so we can get into it," Flanagan stated after the 2003-04 academic year came to a close. "I've been looking forward to getting back into it since we lost the playoff game. I think we'll have a very strong team and I'm sick of the wait."

While many teams in the NCAA would consider an .818 winning percentage a success, those teams haven't enjoyed the success of Flanagan's Toros. CSUDH ended the 2003 campaign with only one loss in 20 regular season contests. In the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship game against UC San Diego, the favored Toros dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker, ending their reign of four-consecutive CCAA Championships. In the Toros' next contest, CSUDH fell to conference-upstart Chico State, 2-1, in the NCAA Far West Regional final, giving the Toros a two-game losing streak to end the season. With those losses, however, came many lessons learned, and the opportunity to apply those lessons this season.

"I think we were feeling a little bit of pressure, whether self-inflicted or not," Flanagan stated of both postseason games and the 10-day stretch between the two contests. "We beat Chico in the regular season and had the lead in the last part of the games against UC San Diego and Chico in the playoffs and weren't able to finish them off." While losing both games were difficult enough, Flanagan noted that the 10 days between contests helped take the Toros out of their rhythm, and that signs of pressure became evident. "When you get into the rhythm of playing college soccer twice a week, and then have 10 days off to focus on a playoff game, I think it really affected our energy against Chico State. Taking nothing away from them, but I thought our legs looked heavy that day. I think we learned that signs were there of where we were mentally before the Chico game."

This year, Flanagan and his staff have that knowledge, along with a plethora of returning talent from which to choose and a healthy dose of newcomers expected to help fill the shoes of last year's graduates as the Toros continue to employ their attacking, exciting type of soccer. Flanagan intends to use multiple offensive weapons on the 2004 team to keep defenses on their heels, creating a dilemma for the opposition geared towards containing only one or two offensive weapons.

"Talent wise," he states confidently, "we'll be fine."

THE DIFFERENCE MAKERS

Noting that the absence of Guerrero, a 2003 First-Team All-American, CCAA Player of the Year, First-Team All West Region, First-Team All-CCAA selection and four-year starter at center-half, will create a noticeable void in the middle, Flanagan realizes that this is a transition year for that position, but is excited to see who emerges as the team's leader. Among those Flanagan has high hopes for is senior Rick Cobb, who is the favorite to earn the center-mid starting role as well as emerge as one of the team leaders.

"Rick's more an attacking center-middle, but had to play more of a defensive role because of Victor," Flanagan says of his three-year letterwinner and three-time All-CCAA selection. "Now it's his chance to step in and be the attacking force he really wants to be, and the force we know he can be."

In addition to Cobb, Francisco Corona, Wilmer Lopez and redshirt freshman Kei Kamara, who will make his CCAA debut this season, will be expected to shoulder the offensive load among the returners.

Corona, a 2003 First-Team All-West Region and First-Team All-CCAA recipient for the Toros, also will play a key role in Flanagan's attacking soccer style. Based on his accomplishments last season, Flanagan realizes his 5'8" forward, who possesses explosive open-field speed, will be on the radar of opposing teams, but expects productivity from Corona to continue.

"I think Frank's going to see a lot of the ball," Flanagan admits. "With his speed, he's going to outrun people and get a chance to score goals. He has six gears," Flanagan says with a smile.

Lopez, a returning junior midfielder, was explosive during the early part of last season as he scored three of his four goals in the first 10 games of the season, adding two of his four assists during that stretch. After tailing off during the middle part of the season, Lopez again emerged as a force towards the end of the year, scoring the team's first goal in CSUDH's win over Cal State Stanislaus in late October. During spring practice, Lopez regained the form that made him one of the Toros' top recruits last season, causing much excitement amongst the coaching staff.

"He had a great spring for us in terms of training and I think he's really found his step again," Flanagan reflects. "He's going to have a very good year for us."

The Toros' ace in the hole may be Kamara, a redshirt freshman whom Flanagan predicts will be a "huge, huge player for us." A 6'2" forward with good touch, Kamara impressed Flanagan and his staff immediately.

"I thought last year would be a good year for him to transition into a very competitive level," Flanagan states, "but within the first week, I was like, 'This guy could play right now.'"

Noting Kamara's athletic build, soccer intelligence, hard work and competitive nature, Flanagan can't help but gush at this 20-year-old's ability and potential.

"There's not really a weakness to his game," Flanagan says. "He does well with his back to the goal which I like him to do as a forward, and he's great in the air. He just loves to play and just wants to win."

BY POSITION

With the loss of senior Javier Barragan to graduation in 2003, the goalkeeper position will be a battle between returning sophomore Austin Anderson and Cal State Fullerton transfer Kyle Polak.

"Javier was a big loss and will be missed," Flanagan reflects, but notes that "Austin made some great strides as a freshman" while Polak "played Division I, is capable of being our starting goalkeeper and will definitely fight for the starting spot."

According to Flanagan, CSUDH's defense is arguably the Toros' most experienced and steady position. Led by senior Nathan Reeves and sophomore Jose Alvarado, the position returns each letterwinner from last season and is stacked with "five or six very good defenders who, on any given day, could start." Reeves, in his fourth and final year in Cardinal Red and Gold and a defender whom Flanagan describes as "very tenacious in terms of ball-winning and tackling," leads both vocally and by example, as he anchored a physical defense that boasted 12 shutouts last season en route to earning First-Team All-Region and First-Team All-CCAA honors. Alvarado, a true freshman last season, was thrown into playing due to key injuries at the defender slot and "didn't let go of the position." His efforts led to a 2003 Honorable Mention All-CCAA honor, and a leading role on the 2004 squad.

Additionally, the Toros are bolstered by seniors Brian Suarez, Jeff Kunze, and juniors Jaret Minami and Kevin Sosa, each a returner who played a key role during the 2003 campaign and collectively give the coaching staff great comfort and confidence in that position.

The midfield position will be the biggest unknown for Flanagan, but is expected to see the most competition. In addition to Cobb, who is expected to vie for a starting role, the position will be occupied by returners Lopez, Jesse Graham and Mike Jimenez amongst this year's returners. Graham saw action in all 22 games last season while netting two goals and four assists, and has the coaching staff excited with his return.

"Jesse had a good season last year as a freshman and could be huge for us this year," Flanagan states. "We're expecting greet things out of Jesse."

Jimenez tallied four goals on only 10 shots in 2003, giving him the highest shot percentage on the team.

Of the newcomers, Marco Flores paves the way for three recruits who are expected to compete for starting forward roles. Flores earned league MVP honors last season during his senior year at Cerritos HS and is expected to solidify the position for years to come. Ryan Boswell, a local product who returned home after a year at Ft. Lewis, and Adrian Szasz, who plays both forward and midfield and who will "put some points on the board," are two others who will contend for starting positions.

"Losing Victor and Wimmer in the midfield, there's not really a proven 3-4 players who have been in the trenches already," Flanagan surmises. "We think the players competing for starting positions are going to be good, but they'll have to step up and earn it."

While Corona and Kamara are expected to see an ample amount of playing time at the forward position, senior Ryan Taylor and junior Jason Koza comprise the final two pieces of an experienced quartet that puts smiles on Flanagan and his coaching staff. Taylor, a 6'1" bruiser who enjoys the attacking soccer style employed at CSUDH, will conclude his fourth and final year in Cardinal Red and Gold. He tallied five goals and four assists last season, seeing action in all 22 games.

Koza, who sat out a season after transferring from Cal State San Bernardino, is "a real strong player who can score goals, can hold the ball and is a real competitive person who loves to win," according to Flanagan. "We're real happy with the combination of those four."

THE SCHEDULE

The Toros begin their quest for the national championship on the road, traveling to Washington State for early season showdowns against formidable NCAA West Region opponents Seattle, Seattle Pacific and Western Washington, before hosting Baker (KS) in their season home opener on Friday, September 3.

Two more nonconference matches follow before Flanagan's squad begins CCAA action at home against Cal Poly Pomona on Tuesday, September 14. After a home match five days later versus CCAA-newcomer Cal State Monterey Bay, the Toros travel to La Jolla, CA, to face CCAA Runner-up UC San Diego on Wednesday, September 22. Flanagan knows the Tritons will look to extend its two-game win streak over the Toros, but looks forward to the challenge.

"I think UCSD has always been a real solid team," he says. "Last year they came up with a couple big wins and will be a contender again this year."

CSUDH then returns home for three matches as it hosts Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State L.A., a team Flanagan notes made great strides with their new coach, before a mid-season showdown with Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday, October 2. Getting the best of the CSUB the past couple of seasons, Flanagan is very aware of the 'Runners' talent and program.

"They've been one of the top teams the last couple years," he explains, " but have just been snakebit the last couple of times."

The Toros then travel north for their next contest on Friday, October 2, to face CCAA Champion Chico State, the team that ousted CSUDH from the 2003 NCAA postseason tournament.

"Chico's a funny team, meaning that we beat them pretty good at home and then lost to them in the playoffs," he says of the Wildcats. "Their goalkeeper was by far the player of the game and I talk about him more than probably anyone in the conference. Chico will suffer a bit with losing him, but their making the championship game will attract interest, so I expect them to be a good team."

Sonoma State, another school Flanagan expects to challenge for the CCAA crown, will make its only southern California appearance Sunday, October 17, six days before UCSD visits Toro Field for the final regular season home contest of the season. The Toros complete their schedule on the road at Cal State L.A. and Cal Poly Pomona, six days before the start of the CCAA Championships.

"Our conference is very strong and a great training ground for how you're going to do nationally," Flanagan states of the recent parody in the CCAA. "Teams in the CCAA are battle-tested to where if you come out of the conference, you can handle almost anything. If you walk into a game thinking it's a walkover, you're gonna get snake bit. We're looking to take it game by game."

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Flanagan is proud his Toros are the leader in a conference that's stacked with talent, citing the past four years in which a CCAA school has reached the title game, including two National Championship during that stretch. He readily admits that conference teams have caught up and that his program's past successes (2000 NCAA Champions, 2001 NCAA Runner-ups) no longer sway the psychological edge the Toros' way. Flanagan also adds that he uses the quality of the conference as a motivating tool for the present as he keeps his team focused on the "now," with the emotions of past two seasons in which the Toros were eliminated in their first game of the NCAA postseason serving as a recent reminder.

"In our eyes, we have to let the past go a little and not ride on the coattails of those teams' successes," he states. "We have to create a new path for this team."

The first stop on that path is the CCAA title, an accomplishment the Toros achieved four of the past five seasons. Setting that goal as first priority will keep his team focused as it progresses through the tough regular season schedule.

"I think at times last year, after we'd won the conference four years in a row, we maybe lost focus of how important the conference championship was to us," Flanagan explains. "So I don't want to talk about the national picture as much as I want to focus on winning another conference championship."

Those in Division II, however, know that you can't talk about CSUDH men's soccer without mentioning a possible title run, an expectation Flanagan takes pride in.

"I think it's a great measurement of your team and program, and once you get there, it's pretty addicting," he says of his program's consistent success.

"When we won it in 2000, I said that I didn't want to be a one-year wonder and we got back (to the title game) the next year. We've been successful since then but once you're there, you want to get back there as much as you can, and I think this team has the talent to get back there. Getting to the final four is definitely a goal, and I think we have the talent to do that.

"But first things first."

FLANAGAN'S FINAL THOUGHTS

Flanagan knows his team is loaded with talent at every position, but also admits they need to prove to themselves they can win the big games.

"I think this team's got some great talent," he begins. "Chemistry is a big thing and I think belief is a big thing. With the returning guys we have and a couple of good recruits, I think we'll have the maturity and the mental strength to make it through those big games. The guys who are seniors this year, Jeff Kunze, Nathan Reeves, Rick Cobb, Brian Suarez, Ryan Taylor, I think they learned a lesson a bit in terms of nothing can be taken for granted. I think that's the approach we have to take. And I think that's what they're ready to do."