As the Varsity boys soccer team wrapped up the 2023-2024 season, they had many memorable moments maneuvering their way through the WCAL (West Coast Athletic League). They incorporated everyone’s abilities and translated it onto the field
Goalie Coach Frank Cortez-Alvarado has been coaching at Riordan for the past five years.
He has seen the team develop and has been a major contributor to their growth.
He mentioned, “I really believe that this school can be at the highest level…and hopefully make something out of it.”
This year the boys were able to overcome some of their toughest competitors in the WCAL. One of the highlights of the season was their outstanding win over Saint Ignatius College Preparatory.
The Crusaders fought a tough battle to win this game with the score being 1-1 in the first half, and later finishing it off with a score of 2-1 by a last minute goal scored by Braxton Nemes ’26. This was the first time the Varsity boys have beat the Wildcats since 2016.
Center Midfielder Nemes looks to succeed with his team this year as they continue to put in hard work and continue to go on with the rest of their season. Nemes agrees that teamwork is a very important aspect to the game and has seen improvement to the team’s style of play over this past season. He hopes to continue to be a leader on the team.
“I will just help to keep our morale high whether we win or lose and be a leader on the field,”
he said.
Another memorable win was when the team took on Sacred Heart Cathedral. They were able to shut out the Fightin’ Irish with a score of 4-0.
Left Winger Dominic (Santi) Bajada ’25 said, “We beat SHC by trusting each other. By trusting in each other’s abilities, we were able to get the result that we wanted.”
Bajada believes that it is important to have great relationships with his teammates on and off the field in order to build team chemistry.
He explained that it is a very heavy junior team so having strong relationships with the underclassmen and upperclassmen are crucial.
Overall, he knows that the team will continue to grow as a whole in their technical, physical, and mental abilities; as well as, keeping their minds set on winning.
Over the course of the season, boys soccer had many accomplishments and overcame obstacles as a team. They finished with a record of 2-10-2 as well as seventh place in the WCAL. As they step off the field, the team will continue to better their abilities and chemistry off the field for the upcoming season next winter.
