The JV soccer team concluded their first and only tournament of the season with a 1-1 tie against Peninsula High School on Thursday, Dec. 15. Tieing for first place in the Westside Tournament, the team holds a 4-0-1 record as they prepare for one final opponent before their Mission League debut on Wednesday, Jan. 4, against Harvard-Westlake.

Led by head coach Robert Bahedry and assistant coach Brian Haley ’13, the team made of 12 sophomores and six freshmen hopes to replicate last year’s undefeated performance. In their five games thus far, the Cubs have scored 19 goals while only conceding three goals.

In their third game of the Peninsula tournament on Tuesday, Dec. 6, the Cubs defeated Long Beach Jordan with goals from sophomore forward Jake Gannon, freshman forward Victor Freire and freshman midfielder Eric Areola.

Gannon, who was the leading goal scorer for the freshman team last year, has personal aspirations to average at least one goal per game in the 19 game season. “Personally, my goal is to have at least ten assists and twenty goals,” Gannon said.

The Cubs outscored South Torrance High School by a score of 3-0 in their fourth game of the tournament. Sophomore center back Anthony Reznik believes the shutout game was a testament to the strength of the team’s defense. “Our defense was solid; we shut down their forwards even when they pressed with four up top,” Reznik said.  

Bahedry believes  his players will reach their potential through proper training. “Our philosophy is centered around doing our best in training so that as a team we may reach our optimal potential, as opposed to trying to play just well enough to beat opponents,” Bahedry said. “Focusing more on executing our game plan on game day, and worrying less about our opponent seems to do the trick.”

The Cubs’ next game will be away against Cathedral High School on Monday, Dec. 19, before their league debut on Wednesday, Jan. 4, against Harvard-Westlake.