Bay Division wide open for boys' soccer

League play starts today with El Camino at Westmoor, Sequoia at Burlingame, Woodside at Menlo School and Carlmont at Menlo-Atherton. The following is a look at the local schools and their prospects for the season.

Burlingame

Despite having seven players return from last season's Bay Division championship team, the Panthers had a rough time in the preseason.

A number of players missed a majority of the preseason playing with their club teams. On top of that, they didn't have the use of a field because the football team was doing so well. There are also a number of position changes.

"Even though we have a lot of returning players, kids are still learning new positions," said coach Fred Cesano. "This team, at this point, lacks maturity. We're scrambling."

A weak record not withstanding, the Panthers are one of the most talented teams in the league. There are a number of seniors at key positions to lead Burlingame. Gustavo Monteiro is the team's playmaker from his center midfield position. Skillful on the ball, he'll get help from Damien Gona, an honorable mention all-league selection last year.

Gabe Shertleff is one of the league's top-scoring from his forward position. Joining Shertleff up top is junior Cole Kreutcher, another returning player.

"We're expecting a big year out [Shertleff]. He's fast on the ball and he likes to go at goal," Cesano said. "Cole has only been available a couple of games. He goes to the goal real hard."

Senior Eric Showen, a four-year varsity starter, anchors the defense. Junior Nick Pessah assumes the starting sweeper role while Dan Webb is moving from a forward position to the defense.

"We're trying to build a new defense. It's all over the place right now," Cesano said. "We're short-handed back there. The couple of games [Webb's] been back there, he's been spectacular."

Despite the lackluster preseason, Cesano knows there are no excuses now that the league season is underway.

"We have to do it right now," Cesano said. "We have a long way to go. We'll get there. We were disorganized in the preseason."

Carlmont

The Scots have seven returning starters, but they only have six seniors on this year's squad.

"It seems like we have a lot of returning starters but we're a pretty young team," said coach Jason Selli. "Youth is something we have to overcome."

Froylan Roldan is a junior and a returning starter. He is the Scots' biggest scoring threat.

"He's the kind of guy when he gets opportunities (to score), he capitalizes on them," Selli said.

Jeff Bowman, a junior, takes over the playmaking midfield position vacated by the graduated Julian Baldaccini, a four-year varsity player for Carlmont.

"[Bowman's] been doing a good job. He's a great player with great skill," Selli said. "(But) there's a lot more responsibility on him (this year)."

Two seniors anchor the middle of the defense with two first-year starters on the outside. Sweeper John Quan is a second-year player and Nate Krevor also played last year. Selli said the two of them work well together and he hopes their leadership rubs off on the newcomers.

A number of players play on different club teams throughout the year, as do most high school players. Selli said the key to success is developing team chemistry.

"One of the main things is, we need to learn to play as a team," Selli said. "A lot of guys play on different teams during the rest of the year and bringing them together for a couple of months is something we're working on."

Sequoia

Longtime Cherokees coach Ed Huber stepped down after last season but Sequoia was not left in the lurch.

Juan Rosales, the frosh-soph coach for the Cherokees for the past three years, stepped in to the varsity position, giving the team continuity.

Sequoia returns eight starters from last season and a number of frosh-soph players are also making the move to varsity.

Leading the way for the Cherokees is junior midfielder Jose Garcia, a varsity starter since his freshman year. Garcia is also a pool player for 17-and-under national team.

"He's a really intelligent player," Rosales said.

Joining Garcia in the midfield are senior Luis Huerte and sophomore Jorge Mendoza, giving the Cherokees one of the strongest midfields in the league. Rosales said he is counting on his midfielders to supply a bulk of the offense. Junior Omar Cordero will receive passes from the midfielders at his forward position.

The defense is anchored by junior Marcos Cisneros and sophomore Freddy Ramirez, who started last year as a freshman.

"Both are really skilled and tough guys," Rosales said. "They're the leaders in the back."

Rosales is pleased with the Cherokees' start to the season that saw them go 4-1 without Garcia, who spent time with the 17-and-under national and club teams.

"I'm really happy with the team," Rosales said. "I always tell my players we don't depend on just one player."

Woodside

The Wildcats finally reached their goal of moving up to the Bay Division after winning the Ocean Division title last season.

They are not content, however, to just be there.

"We're going for a championship," said coach Johan Lyssand. "We expect to be in the hunt."

Although Woodside lost a big chunk of last year's offense, Lyssand hopes the defense keeps the Wildcats in games until the offense gets into a rhythm. Jarvis Cano, a senior, is the reigning Ocean Division defensive player of the year and anchors the backline. Lyssand believes Cano can play professionally.

"He's the best player in the league, as far as I'm concerned," Lyssand said. "He was the best player I saw last year."

Cano starts the season in the back but has the ability to play anywhere on the field.

Another senior, Patrick Cleeves, joins Cano on defense which Lyssand believes is the team's strength right now.

Cano's brother, Jorge, is the team's leading returning scorer.

"He's quite an improved player, mentally and physically," Lyssand said.

The offense revolves around junior midfielder Joseph Torres, who already scored a couple of goal for the 3-1-1 Wildcats.

Lyssand said the key to the Wildcats' success this season lies in their ability adjusting to playing in the more competitive Bay Division.

"We're playing in a better league. The game speed has been upgraded so we need to get in tune with the speed of play," Lyssand said. "Our No. 1 key is just being mentally stable and mentally prepared. We have what it takes to be [at the top]."