Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Clovis' Kade Jones, left, battles Portales' Maximus Cordova in the first half of Tuesday's game in Portales. Jones scored two goals in the 6-1 Wildcat victory.
Rams goalie Brayan Tinajero dives to make a save on the ball in the first half. The ball ricocheted off of the post, and kept the game scoreless, at that point.
PORTALES — Even with an undefeated record, Clovis boys soccer coach Greg Trujillo knows that his squad is far from invincible. The Wildcats showed a slight bit of vulnerability at times in the first half, but also showed what makes them so tough in the second half, scoring four goals en route to a 6-1 victory over Portales on Tuesday.
“When we played (Portales) at home, we had 21 shots and scored three goals. This time, our strength to our play is working our wings, and open them up,” Trujillo explained. “We did that, for the most part, but we got a little careless.
“As much success as we’ve had, you got a big target on your back, so you gotta keep playing decent soccer. We’re gonna get tested —13-0 is great, but there’s a lot of work to be done.”
The 13-0 Wildcats didn’t have too much trouble keeping the ball at Portales’ end throughout the opening half, but still, Clovis had trouble finding the net.
However, the ball finally bounced the ‘Cats’ way in the 15th minute, as a Portales (2-9) miscommunication gave Clovis a 1-0 lead on a Jose Mendoza goal. Then, just about 90 seconds later, Elias Ortega hooked a beautiful midrange shot into the net to extend the lead to 2-0.
“It was a rough game,” Rams coach Juan Mendez said. “We were missing Ethan (Jaynes; (flu)), and he’s our big player in the sweeper position, and I felt like that really pushed us back.”
But, the setbacks were only beginning for the Rams, as Clovis knocked in a pair of 49th minute goals to quickly double its lead. Ortega flew into the open field like a flash, before notching the goal. Kade Jones then knocked in the Wildcats’ fourth goal, just 26 seconds later.
Jones would then get a second goal, when he sliced and diced multiple defenders, cutting in and out, before shooting it past Portales’ Brayan Tinajero.
“Their unselfish play speaks for itself,” Trujillo said of Ortega and Jones. “I tell them, ‘play unselfish-style soccer, and the stats will take care of themselves.’ The first half we had the wind behind us and we got a little careless, trying to shoot from everywhere.
“I pulled my defender out, because he’s taking a shot from 40 yards out and that’s not the style of play (we’re looking for). We need to settle down and take care of the ball and get a little bit more movement — on and off the ball.”
In all, the Wildcats had 11 shots to Portales’ three, and had seven corner kicks to the Rams’ zero. Carlos Munoz added the sixth Wildcat goal in the 70th minute, while the Rams’ only goal came four minutes after that, thanks to a beautiful Lesther Oliva Andrade shot that knocked in below the crossbar.
Portales will host East Mountain on Saturday afternoon, while Clovis hosts Carlsbad next Tuesday.
“My defense is pretty solid and I work them in and out,” Trujillo explained. “Midfield play is deep, but we just gotta take care of the ball a little bit better, play and conserve the lead. Possession-wise, I think we possess the ball really well.”
