The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009
The562’s coverage of Cabrillo Athletics is sponsored by the Cohn Family
When Wilson captain Lucca Pires scored the opening goal on Wednesday at Cabrillo in the first Moore League boys’ soccer game of the season he celebrated by thumping his chest and pointing to the turf with both hands.
“I’m saying I’m here and our team is here to contest for league,” Pires said. “This result should show the other teams that we’re here to play.”
Pires, Joey Ragusa and Fernando Martinez all scored second-half goals for Wilson in a 3-0 win over Cabrillo.
“I said he’s going to take over games and he did today,” Wilson coach CJ Brewer said of Pires. “His first goal completely took over the momentum of the game. It was a complete game at all levels, and he played all levels.”
Pires played as striker, defense and midfielder throughout the game while making his presence felt.
“I’m here to do whatever the team needs and give 100 percent whether it’s striker, center back or whatever, I’ll do whatever it takes to get the victory,” Pires said.
Wilson outshot Cabrillo 11-5 in the game and Pires had five of those shots. The last one came in the 43rd minute when Pires split two defenders on the edge of the 18-yard box and buried in the far side netting for the lead.
The other two goals came in the final ten minutes, and Pires set up Ragusa’s set piece goal by drawing a foul about 25-yards away from goal. Ragusa stepped up and curled it around the defensive wall and into the bottom corner.
In the 75th minute, Martinez scored a cracking goal from 30 yards out that he tucked into the upper V to put the game away.
The most impressive part of the night was how Wilson’s defense shut down the dangerous Cabrillo attack. The Jaguars didn’t put a shot on goal until the 57th minute.
“We keyed on taking away what they wanted to do most,” Brewer said. “I think they have the most talented players in the league up top, and our style was to just play direct and get it away from them.”
Wilson’s backline of Ian Bond, Cesar Perez, Ben Franjic and Miles Fraizer were more than willing to clear out any Cabrillo attack.
“Having experience is really key, and we communicate really well,” Bond said of the Wilson defense. “The clean sheet is what we really care about. Last year I think we lost both times to (Cabrillo) so getting this win is a great way to start the season. Last year we started off bad and then kind of regrouped at the end, but starting with a statement win right here is going to allow us to go into the rest of league feeling really good.”
Cabrillo got most of its scoring chances after Pires’ goal when the Jaguars moved Duane Baker and Javier Palomares to the wings. But Wilson goalkeeper Grayson Gilmore only needed three saves for the clean sheet.
“We had the lion’s share of possession but we weren’t really dangerous,” Cabrillo coach Pat Noyes said. “If you’re going to possess it has to be with a purpose… (Wilson) just stayed in front of us and just blocked shots and blocked passing lanes. We have to get other teams defenders facing their own goal, and most of their team was facing away from goal the whole game.”
Wilson hosts Compton on Friday while Cabrillo takes on Redding in non-league play.
“It’s one game at a time,” Wilson coach Doug Fatone said. “This is the same core group that won the league two years ago so they know what it takes. But it’s one game at a time, no matter who we play. It’s the same attitude and focus.”
