Goalie Cory Obermeyer leads an inexperienced squad
Angel Cornejo likes his new varsity players. He likes his returning ones. He likes his team a lot.
That says a great deal when you consider what the Emporia High boys soccer team lost.
Top goal-scorer and first team All-State selection Alex Guevara is gone. So are a pair of All-State second-teamers, Gary Rivera and Jose Rios. Adam Sanchez and Brian Tabares were selected to last year’s Central Kansas Soccer Coaches Association All-Region team; those two are gone, too.
Those five players were a huge part of the Spartans’ 9-7-1 campaign in Cornejo’s first season as head coach. His second year will feature a decent slew of varsity newcomers, who will complement returners stepping into bigger roles. That hasn’t dampened Cornejo’s optimism any — even if he eventually admits to a little uncertainty about how the Spartans’ new kids will handle varsity action.
“I’m a little concerned — I don’t know how well we’re gonna do,” he said. “I’m pretty sure we’re gonna do well, but it all depends on them, how they react to playing to big schools. But I think they are ready. Like, 90 percent sure they are ready for games like that.”
Other than that nagging 10 percent, he likes the pieces he has.
“We have plenty of guys to play any position,” Cornejo said. “I think we’re pretty well-balanced this year (at) defense, midfield and forwards.”
Start at the back with senior goalkeeper Cory Obermeyer, a CKSCA honorable mention selection last year. Obermeyer, who’s planning to play at McPherson College next year, has a lot expected of him after showing plenty of skills in his junior year.
“I think he’s going to be the best in the Centennial League this season,” Cornejo said. “He was overshadowed last year by Shawnee Heights’ keeper (graduated senior Derick Allen). But they had a pretty good defense, too; we had a young defense, so that’s why Cory wasn’t the best. But this year, I think we have good defense, we have a good goalkeeper, so I’m hoping for a good year, and not getting that many goals scored (on us).”
In front of Obermeyer, there are three starters to replace on defense. Sweeper Alejandro Sandoval, who would’ve been a junior, moved to California; taking over that spot, for now, will be senior Agustin Armenta, one of the team’s captains. Junior Blaze Witten will be back on defense, and two other juniors will step in to fill voids: Nixon Posada, a new addition to the team, will take over for Tabares, and Nic Hrabik is projected to replace Rivera.
“I think we have some pretty good backups (from last year) that can (step in),” Obermeyer said. “I don’t have to worry about much this year.”
The most experienced unit the Spartans have will be their midfield. Seniors Luis Guzman and Arnoldo Torres will be the center midfielders, and will be flanked by juniors Saul Trujillo on the left and Yonathan Pachacano on the right. The projected forwards are two players moving up from junior varsity: left-footed junior Jesus Saldana, who Cornejo said improved significantly last season on the JV squad, and Christian Landaverde.
“They just have crazy speed,” Cornejo said. “They just need a little bit more control with the ball, (learn) how to finish better. But if we get better (in practice), I think they’ll be amazing up front.”
Cornejo thinks he’s still learning as he gets ready for his second season. As he continues to learn, his younger, more inexperienced players will have to do the same — and they may be the key to what Emporia can do this year.
“They are ready to play,” Cornejo said. “And we’ve been emphasizing that other teams, they actually play physical, and they compete. We’re gonna play against 6-2, 6-3 guys that can run past you, can do everything. So we have to be ready for that. I think they are.”
Emporia High boys
soccer schedule
Aug. 28 — JUNCTION CITY
Sept. 3 — at Wichita Northwest
Sept. 7-12 — Titan Classic at Wichita
Sept. 15 — HAYDEN
Sept. 17 — at Highland Park
Sept. 24 — TOPEKA HIGH
Sept. 29 — TOPEKA WEST
Oct. 1 — at Manhattan
Oct. 5 — at Washburn Rural
Oct. 8 — SEAMAN
Oct. 13 — at Wichita Carroll
Oct. 15 — SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
Oct. 20 — WICHITA HEIGHTS
Oct. 22 — GARDEN CITY
Oct. 26-31 — Regionals