MONROE - Delavan-Darien senior Juan Rocha scored four goals to post a hat trick and the Comets blitzed Monroe with 10 unanswered goals to beat the Cheesemakers 10-1 in the season-opener Thursday at Honey Creek Park.
"A lot of our team is young and this was their first game, and we have a couple of new defenders," Monroe senior Kevin Noriega said. "We put our heads down when we started losing. We can't do that because the game is too fast. The only way to improve is to keep playing."
Noriega scored the first goal by beating the Comets' goalkeeper and hammering a shot just inside the near post to give the Cheesemakers a short-lived 1-0 lead. Delavan-Darien answered scoring four goals in an 18-minute span in the first half.
"I knew it wouldn't be enough," Monroe coach Tony Vasquez said of Noriega's goal on an assist from senior Dan Tinoco at 2 minutes, 32 seconds. "It just seemed like for most of the game we were one step back and we weren't fast enough with our passes. Coming in I knew they were fast. I knew it was going to be tough."
Delavan-Darien senior Luis Perez scored the game-tying goal at 10:32 to tie the game at 1. Senior Christian Gomez 21 seconds later attacked the near post and then made a pass to Rocha, who scored the go-ahead goal to give the Comets a 2-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
"We started diving to the ball," Noriega said. "If the forwards are making mistakes it will trickle down the field. It wasn't the defense's fault. We have to improve as a whole unit."
It also marked the first 90-minute boys soccer game. The WIAA on a trial basis is having boys soccer teams play two 45-minute halves for the next three years as a test so the prep games are the same length as FIFA soccer games for boys 18 and older, as well as college games that are 90 minutes instead of the 80-minute games they played last year.
"You obviously have to be in better condition," Noriega said. "We have to play harder no matter what the clock says. That is not an excuse."
The Cheesemakers had a golden opportunity to tie the game at 13:31 when the Comets were called for a hand ball. Noriega's shot at goal sailed over the top cross bar. Rocha scored his second goal at 18:41 and Tigrio Huerta scored a goal at 21:16 to give the Comets a 4-1 lead at the half.
The Comets erupted for six goals in the second half to put the game away.
"For some of the guys it's their first varsity game," Vasquez said. "After that third goal the guys put their heads down, which is something we usually don't do."
Delavan-Darien senior Luis Villeegas scored a goal at 53:08 and Huerta scored his second goal moments later to give the Comets a 6-1 lead.
"We have a couple of new defenders back there," Vasquez said. "There were certainly times where they were nervous and mis-hit the ball. A couple of times they got frustrated with each other, and it's something we will have to overcome."
Monroe senior goalkeeper Austin Murphy made several leaping and diving saves.
"There were a lot of point-blank shots that are difficult to stop and he stopped some of them," Vasquez said.
The Cheesemakers won't have much time to dwell on the season-opening loss as they host the Monroe Quad Saturday. Monroe will play Jefferson at 10 a.m. Saturday.
"I'm expecting to play a lot better," Noriega said. "We have to just move forward and not worry about the loss. We have to work harder in practice."
"A lot of our team is young and this was their first game, and we have a couple of new defenders," Monroe senior Kevin Noriega said. "We put our heads down when we started losing. We can't do that because the game is too fast. The only way to improve is to keep playing."
Noriega scored the first goal by beating the Comets' goalkeeper and hammering a shot just inside the near post to give the Cheesemakers a short-lived 1-0 lead. Delavan-Darien answered scoring four goals in an 18-minute span in the first half.
"I knew it wouldn't be enough," Monroe coach Tony Vasquez said of Noriega's goal on an assist from senior Dan Tinoco at 2 minutes, 32 seconds. "It just seemed like for most of the game we were one step back and we weren't fast enough with our passes. Coming in I knew they were fast. I knew it was going to be tough."
Delavan-Darien senior Luis Perez scored the game-tying goal at 10:32 to tie the game at 1. Senior Christian Gomez 21 seconds later attacked the near post and then made a pass to Rocha, who scored the go-ahead goal to give the Comets a 2-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
"We started diving to the ball," Noriega said. "If the forwards are making mistakes it will trickle down the field. It wasn't the defense's fault. We have to improve as a whole unit."
It also marked the first 90-minute boys soccer game. The WIAA on a trial basis is having boys soccer teams play two 45-minute halves for the next three years as a test so the prep games are the same length as FIFA soccer games for boys 18 and older, as well as college games that are 90 minutes instead of the 80-minute games they played last year.
"You obviously have to be in better condition," Noriega said. "We have to play harder no matter what the clock says. That is not an excuse."
The Cheesemakers had a golden opportunity to tie the game at 13:31 when the Comets were called for a hand ball. Noriega's shot at goal sailed over the top cross bar. Rocha scored his second goal at 18:41 and Tigrio Huerta scored a goal at 21:16 to give the Comets a 4-1 lead at the half.
The Comets erupted for six goals in the second half to put the game away.
"For some of the guys it's their first varsity game," Vasquez said. "After that third goal the guys put their heads down, which is something we usually don't do."
Delavan-Darien senior Luis Villeegas scored a goal at 53:08 and Huerta scored his second goal moments later to give the Comets a 6-1 lead.
"We have a couple of new defenders back there," Vasquez said. "There were certainly times where they were nervous and mis-hit the ball. A couple of times they got frustrated with each other, and it's something we will have to overcome."
Monroe senior goalkeeper Austin Murphy made several leaping and diving saves.
"There were a lot of point-blank shots that are difficult to stop and he stopped some of them," Vasquez said.
The Cheesemakers won't have much time to dwell on the season-opening loss as they host the Monroe Quad Saturday. Monroe will play Jefferson at 10 a.m. Saturday.
"I'm expecting to play a lot better," Noriega said. "We have to just move forward and not worry about the loss. We have to work harder in practice."
