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BOYS SOCCERSanta Ana's Nava hopes to beat the clock, and win a CIFBy DAMIAN DOTTOREThe Orange County RegisterSANTA ANA - Carlos Nava can hear the clock ticking. And with every practice it justseems to go faster and faster. There’s no stopping it.For two seasons, he has been a starter in one of the most talented midfields around at Santa Ana High, playing alongside skilled ball handlers such as past All-County selection Mario Gonzalez, who’s now at Tulane.Yet he doesn’t have a CIF boys soccer championship to show for it, and what he wouldn’t give for one. Now he is down to his last chance.Once again, the Saints are the top-ranked team in the county and have enough talent at every position to make another run in the playoffs. But this time Nava won’t just be one of Coach Manny Pena-flor’s role players. This time the senior is the man.With that comes so much pressure that, for many players, it would be too much to handle Know what? Nava loves it.“It doesn’t bother me a bit,” Nava said. “In fact, I think it makes me a better player. I feel it’s not my job this season,DANIEL A. ANDERSON/The Orange County Register“He is totallyunselfish. “MANNY PENAFLOR,Santa Ana boys soccer coach on Carlos Navaso much to score goals, but to make everyone around me better.“I think it’s my job to show, by example, the rest of the team how important it is to respect the coaches and refs. But most important the other team. I think that is why we lost even when we had teams good enough to win it all.”Penaflor considers Nava to be among the county’s best, even though at 5-foot-4 and 145 pounds he’s not loaded with a lot of size and strength. But Penaflor says Nava has such tremendous field awareness that he still finished with 15 assists last year despite opponents putting two and three marks on him. Nava, Penaflor says, is the typical creative, Latin-style player,“He is totally unselfish,” Penaflor said. He has the ability to score a lot of goals, but last year he was our assist leader. That should say something. He’s not your typical soccer player.”Penaflor should have recognized that when Nava once gave him a complete rundown of the stock market during practice. As much passion as he shows on the field, Nava puts an equal amount into his economics class. After a while it’s hard to tell if you’re talking to a leading preseason candidate for All-County first team or Dean Witter.“I love that class. There is just something about the teacher that excites me,” saidNava, who carries a 3.8 GPA. “Getting good grades in that class comes easier for me than playing soccer.”AT A GLANCEORANGE COUNTY TOP 104g SANTA ANA: The Saints must rebuild their defense since Golden West League MVP Miguel Ortiz graduated. But they will make up for that with one of the best midfields in the county, featuring three-year letter winner Carlos Nava, Israel Lazo and Diego Mejia.2i SANTA MARGARITA: The Eagles return all of their midfielders m and forwards from their Division III championship team. They also have one of the top goalkeepers in the county - Erick Foss, who had 15 shutouts last season,3 EL DORADO: Last year it wasn't a fluke when the Golden ■ Hawks advanced to the Division Hi championship. All-County first-teamer Ignacio Nacho Cid, who scored a team-high 27 goals, returns at forward.4 SERVITE: Although All-County first team forward Matt Terry ■ graduated, the Friars should make another run at a CIF title. Matt Kubota, who finished with two goals and 15 assists last season, and a strong sophomore class should keep the Friars in the hunt for the Serra League title.5 MATER DEI: After a couple of rebuilding seasons, the Monarchs ■ are back. Coach Martin Stringer returns 11 players from last year, including Matt Doty, a 6-foot-2 forward who scored 12 goals.TEAMS 6-10: Woodbridge, Brea Oiinda, Saddleback, El Toro,San Clemente, Fountain Valley1998-99 POLL: 1 Saddleback; 2, Capistrano Valley; 3. Santa Margarita; 4. Woodbridge; 5. Fountain Valley; 6. Santa Ana; 7. Laguna Hills;8. San Clemente; 9 Los Alamitos;, 101 Esperanza; 101 El DoradoPLAYERS TO WATCH► Nader Jazayen (El Toro, Sr)► Sem Lopez (El Toro, Sr.)► Justin Lang (El Toro, Sr.)► Cameron Rossi (El Toro, GK, Sr.)► Spencer George (Santa Margarita, Sr.)► Erick Foss (Santa Margarita, GK, Jr.)► Luke Boughen (Santa Margarita, Sr.)► Sebastian Galmarini (Santa Margarita, Sr)► Ryan Curtis (Santa Margarita, Sr.)► Mike Meek (Santa Margarita, Sr.)► Jon Nebot (Santa Margarita, Sr.)► Ignacio Cid (El Dorado, Sr.)► Brendan Gufledge (El Dorado, Sr.)► Ryan Valdez (El Dorado, Jr.)► Ryan Eldred (El Dorado, Sr )► Travis White (El Dorado, Sr.)► Danny Kenedy (El Dorado, GK, Jr.)► Carlos Fonzeca (El Dorado, Sr.)► Matt Wiechert (San Clemente, Sr.)► Bryce Sebastian (San Clemente, Sr )► Kris Winrich (San Clemente, Sr.)► Garrett Plambech (San Clemente, Sr)► Matt Kubota (Servite, Sr.)► Brent Fielder (Servite, Sr.)► John Trejo (Servite, Sr.)► Matt Doty (Mater Dei, Sr.)► Luis Inga (Mater Dei, Sr)► Kevin Novak (Mater Dei, Sr.)► Carlos Nava (Santa Ana, Sr.)► Israel Lecn (Santa Ana, Sr)► David Linares (Santa Ana, Sr.)► Luis Diaz (Santa Ana, Sr.)► Josh Alexander (Brea Oiinda, Sr)► Chris Manton (Brea Oiinda, Sr)► Matt Shuplock (Brea Oiinda, Sr.)► Sean Silva (Orange Lutheran, Sr.)► David Tankersly (Orange Luth., Sr.)► John Hehl (Orange Lutheran, GK, Sr.)► Bob Conboy (Orange Lutheran, Sr.)► Paul Peqales (Orange Lutheran, Sr.)► Jose Perez (Costa Mesa, Sr.)► Cliff McKinley (Fountain Valley, Sr.)► Brock Schermerhorn (Aliso Niguel, Jr)► Pieter Berger (Woodbridge, So.)► Roy Chingardan (Woodbridge, So.)► David Chun (Woodbridge, So.)► Brad Hallack (Woodbridge, Jr.)► Jeff Oehlman (Woodbridge, So.)► Josh Brown (Capistrano Valley, Jr.)► Garrett Petry (Capo Valley, So.)► Jordan Harvey (Capo Valley, So.)► Brent Barnes (Capistrano Valley, Jr.)► Zach Mikelson (Capo Valley, GK, Jr.)► Jeff Kunzee (Edison, Sr.)► Edgar Lopez (Saddleback, Sr.)► Raul Navaro (Saddleback, Jr.)► Luis Gonzalez (Saddleback, Jr.)► Jorge Buenrostro (Saddleback, Sr.)► George Pena (Saddleback, Jr.)► Alex Orozco (Saddleback, Sr.)KEY GAMES► Woodbridge at Santa Ana, Dec 13► Trabuco Hills Tournament at Trabuco Hills High, Dec. 27-29► Marina Tournament, Dec 27-29► Woodbridge at El Toro, Dec. 15► San Clemente at El Toro, Jan. 12► Saddleback at Santa Ana, Jan. 14► Huntington Beach at Edison, Jan. 21► Woodbridge at Irvine, Jan. 21
Newspaper Details
Santa Ana Orange County Register
Santa Ana, California, US
Tue, Nov 23, 1999
Page 63
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USA 14 Mar 2019
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