Returning back to normality after the holidays can be challenging for everyone, but the Mountain View boys soccer team did so in a 1-0 rivalry win over Los Altos Friday.
A close game between two of the best teams in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League saw the Spartans (5-0-2) edge past the Eagles (4-1-1) in the first league game of the season for both teams, just a few days after the New Year and with many kids coming back from vacation and time off for Christmas.
“I think the rivalry game helped a little bit,” Mountain View coach Jim McGuirk said. “It’s cool that we got to play this game now because it got everyone jazzed up a little bit.”
After a slow first half where Los Altos created more shots, Cyrus Shafie, a junior midfielder for Mountain View, opened the second half with a goal with a deft, chipped finish over the Los Altos goalkeeper with 38 minutes left. Midfielder Aidan Wong played the pass to Shafie, who outran the Eagles’ defense and picked his head up for a split second to see the keeper rushing out and decided to chip the keeper with his weaker left foot just a few yards from the goal.
“I saw it get through, and when I knew the ball was going to get through, I just put my head down and tried to do my thing, I took a bad touch but made it work,” Shafie said.
The game increased in intensity after the goal, with Los Altos having several shots on target but unable to break down the Spartans’ defense. McGuirk praised his new players on the backline for stepping up this season, with the Spartans only giving up one goal in seven games this season.
“It took us a little while for us to figure it all out,” McGuirk said of the defensive cohesion.
Mountain View won the league last year with an undefeated record of 10-0-2 and begins league play as the favorite, with the team undefeated through its first seven games. Tough tests remain in the league season as the team aims to go on a deep Central Coast Section playoff run. The Spartans reached the CCS semifinals last year before falling to Archbishop Mitty in overtime.
“We want to win the league, we did it last year,” Shafie said. “We’re trying to run it back again and go to CCS and do better than we did last year, but that’s the main goal, and everybody is excited to do that.”
The Spartans are relying on several new starters after eight players who could have been on the team did not play so they could focus on the club season. The Spartans returns all three midfield starters, along with its right back and goalkeeper. The midfield will be the team’s engine, with Shafie and seniors Niko Dekovic and Aidan Wong bringing needed experience.
“We go with them,” McGuirk said of the midfield. “When they are on, we’re on; when they’re off, it’s a bit of a struggle.”
