MARTY JAMES

martyjames.sports@gmail.com

Simon Cook has great respect for Napa Valley College's head coach, Rogelio Ochoa, and the Storm men's soccer program.

"When you play against Napa, it's going to be hard fought. You have to earn your win," said Cook, the head coach at Evergreen Valley College-San Jose.

Evergreen Valley scored both of its goals in the first half and held on for a 2-1 win over host Napa Valley in a nonconference game on Friday, Sept. 19.

Evergreen Valley (3-1-1 overall) went into the game at No. 19 in the California Community College Sports Information Association Poll, announced in a report by the California Community College Athletic Association, at www.cccaasports.org, on Sept. 16.

Napa Valley came to life in the second half of the match, getting a goal, playing with much greater energy, speeding their play up, and displaying an attacking style with its offense.

"I'm sure Coach Rogelio will do very well in his conference. They always do," said Cook. "And if they can pick up momentum and can win their way through, I think for those guys, if they can get into playoffs, I'm sure they'll be looking to cause some upsets.

"I'm sure they will do great in their conference. I'm sure he's hoping to get a good playoff run."

There's a lot of matches still to go before the 3C2A Northern California Regional Playoffs and State Championships. For Napa Valley, there's one more nonconference match to play, with the Storm at home against Santa Rosa Junior College on Friday, Sept. 26. This is followed by the Bay Valley Conference season starting on Oct. 3.

"Hopefully, this game will prepare us for Santa Rosa, and then, we're a little better for conference," said Ochoa.

Napa Valley has a very challenging schedule of nonconference opponents, the latest being Evergreen Valley, which is from the Coast-South Conference. The goal, said Ochoa, is for the Storm to get a feel and also see the level of the opponent, to experience the pressure that comes with it, all the while continuing to prepare for the conference season.

Santa Rosa (5-0-2 overall) is No. 8 in the California Community College Sports Information Association Poll.

Adrian Ceja, a midfielder, scored Napa Valley's only goal. It came in the 60th minute of the second half off an assist from Jose Ramirez, a forward.

"I think Adrian was arguably the best player for both teams," said Ochoa. "He's turning, twisting,

pressing high, getting in behind the back line, and not giving up on the play. He had missed the first chance. He got up and got scored off the second chance.

"He's just winning a lot of 50-50s. He's very strong on the ball. He did really well and he ended up scoring the goal," said Ochoa.

Napa Valley (1-3-3 overall) went into the match having tied its last two opponents, Foothill College-Los Altos Hills (3-3) and Ohlone College-Fremont (0-0). The Storm was also missing four starters, each due to injury: Cadel Newton-Knotch (goalkeeper), Christian Corona (forward), Jovani Jimenez (forward), Sergio Hernandez (forward).

"Every team has injuries. So, it's how we manage those injuries, and then keep going forward," said Ochoa.

Angel Olvera-Vega went the whole way at goalkeeper, playing very well and keeping the Storm in the game.

"We had players go in, like Angel (Olvera-Vega). He did a phenomenal job today. He made the saves he had to make, and he helped us build out of the back," said Ochoa. "Other players had to play a variety of positions that they're not used to because of the injuries. And I think they did well. I think overall, they did a good job."

Temperatures were in the high-70s, with a mixture of sunny and partly cloudy conditions.

Evergreen Valley scored its first goal at the 15-minute mark. Josue Lopez, forward, scored off an assist from Brandon Munoz, a midfielder.

Evergreen Valley's second goal came in the 25th minute from Erick Luna Ramirez, a midfielder. The assist was credited to Eusebio Rivera, a midfielder.

"The game is always going to pose some challenges. You have to try to break through and try and win, which we did," said Cook. "I don't think it was our best game. We're pretty happy to have gotten out of here with the win, but our performance probably could have been better."

Evergreen Valley was ahead at halftime, 2-0.

"I think we came out flat the first half," said Ochoa. "They're well coached, they're ranked, and it's a good team. It's the first time we have played an opponent like this, and I think it took a little bit of an adjustment.

"They outhustled us the first half. But in the second half, I think we matched that. I think we adjusted well at (halftime). I think everyone stepped up in the second half. Everyone kind of stepped up their game a little bit in the second half."

Napa Valley was a much different team in the second half, after hearing from Ochoa at halftime. The Storm went to work, creating scoring chances.

"I think in the second half, we put a little pressure on them and I think we evened out the game. We got one back," said Ochoa. "It was just more about stepping up, making sure you don't give them so much time and space, too much time to think. And I think we put them under pressure a couple times, and that's how we got the goal.

"We were close. We hit the crossbar a couple times, but it wasn't enough for us to get the equalizer."

Ochoa added:

"There are moments where they had possession, and we had to make sure our defensive unit can hold well. And then there's moments where we're attacking as well. It's just about making the right decisions when we have possession of the ball, when we have opportunities."

Also, playing well for the Storm, according to Ochoa, was Jose Ramirez and Hayden Hubbard, a forward.

NVC is at home for Bay Valley Conference matches against College of Marin-Kentfield on Oct. 3 and Contra Costa College-San Pablo on Oct. 7.

The Storm has scored nine goals in seven games.

* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.