By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
The Moapa Valley High School boys soccer team walked off the field last year officially having a winless season. With a 0-10 league record (0-15-1 overall), the Pirate players felt that they had failed to meet the expectations they had set for themselves.
Now in a new year, with much of the same team still around, Moapa Valley is regaining high hopes for the coming season. This year, the team is more motivated than they’ve ever been to make a run at a winning record and a potential playoff berth, thanks in big part to their remarkable experience.
The team is led once again by head coach Jared Bushman. It is a team fairly top-heavy with seniors. The Pirates boast eight seniors for the 2017 season, including goalkeeper Tanner Johnson, lockdown defenders Isaah Fairchild and Josh Lee, all-around athlete Israel Rubio, as well as Gustavo Moreno and Dillon Clove.
“This is probably the most experienced team I’ve ever had,” Bushman said. “Several of our players are in their third year on varsity. We are more experienced and talented than we have ever been.”
Bushman acclaimed Lee for his role on the defensive side, “Josh Lee is a very intelligent player, and he kind of leads our back line. His intelligence and experience is going to help us make sure teams aren’t getting behind us.”
On the offensive end of the field, the team will have many options to score the ball, including Bryan Robles and senior Israel Rubio. Bushman gave praise for Rubio’s versatility, saying, “I can use him in any position on the field, and he is willing to do that.”
Rubio said, “My biggest strength is to make everyone around me better. Just being a leader and the skills show for themselves. Soccer is a game of improving so I think that just bettering myself all around as a player and captain will get me to a hundred for this season.”
This year, the team seems to have a completely different energy around it. Bushman explained why this year’s team is so special, “Nobody deserves to win more than this group of boys. They sincerely desire to win. They’re easy to coach and can actually coach themselves sometimes. If we can establish some chemistry in certain positions, we will be even better.”
Behind every successful soccer team is a talented goalkeeper. In goal for the Pirates will be Tanner Johnson. Johnson said of his work in the offseason, “I’ve been working on my reflexes, dives, ball work outside of the goalie box, throws – everything I need to so I can help my team wherever they need me.”
As for what the team’s biggest asset is, Jared Bushman hopes it will be organization. “I hope we will be organized enough to pressure teams high, win the ball, and score quickly after that,” he said.
Johnson praised his team’s ability to understand each other, saying, “Most of our team has been playing three years on varsity together, so we know how each teammate plays and we know each person’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Israel Rubio, who will assume a leadership role on the team as a senior, said this year’s team might be the best he’s seen. “I have a feeling this year is the most talented I’ve played with,” he said. “Everyone has a drive to start winning games.”
If Moapa Valley is to make the playoffs for the first time as a program since 2010, they will have to utilize their determination as a group to play just that much better.
MVHS 2017 Boys Soccer Season Schedule
JV Varsity
Aug 24 4:00 Adelson
Aug 28 3:00 4:30 Mojave
Aug 30 4:30 3:00 Sunrise Mtn.
Sep 05 3:00 4:30 SECTA
Sep 07 4:30 3:00 Chaparral
Sep 12 4:30 3:00 Virgin Valley
Sep 18 3:00 4:30 Del Sol
Sep 26 4:30 3:00 Boulder City
Sep 28 3:30 5:00 Sky Pointe
Oct 02 4:30 3:00 SECTA
Oct 04 3:00 4:30 Chaparral
Oct 10 3:00 4:30 Virgin Valley
Oct 16 5:00 3:30 Del Sol
Oct 18 3:00 4:30 Boulder City
Oct 24 5:00 3:30 Sky Pointe
Oct. 31 TBA Regionals
Nov 10-11 North TBA State
All Home games in bold
