The Bulldogs (2-0) stayed on offense for most of the game and put constant pressure on the Jaguar goal. The Jaguars (1-5) were able to match the Bulldogs’ speed, but sharp passing kept Tracy in control of the ball.
“Kimball has a few really good players who we keyed on, trying to deny them the ball, and we did a really good job of denying them the touches,” said Tracy coach Phil Kalis.
Tracy scored in the third minute when forward Byron Munoz passed to Jerry Pelayo, who was in close on the left side to make the shot.
The team scored again 23 minutes in following a corner kick from Alejandro Noriega to Munoz. Munoz got the ball through a crowd of defenders to Angelo Alejandre, who pushed the ball in for the score and made it a 2-0 game at the half.
Paul Mayes scored a third Tracy goal in the 45th minute, and Pelayo crossed the ball to Munoz in the 51st minute to make it a 4-0 game.
Kimball got on the scoreboard in the 61st minute when Ryan Chaney passed to Noah Aini, who fired the ball into the right corner of the goal from 30 yards out.
Tracy scored twice more — in the 70th minute, when Mayes headed in a cross from Cameron Divoky, and in the 72nd minute, when Matt Murman headed in a cross from Munoz.
Kimball goalkeeper Juan Cardenas had his hands full with 11 saves for the night.
West 2, Kimball 0
The Wolf Pack’s first game of 2012, a 2-0 win at Kimball High on Monday, Aug. 27, was an encouraging sign to West senior forward Miguel Madruga.
“Everybody is working hard, and we’re passing the ball like last year,” said Madruga, who scored both of West’s goals. “We should do as good as last year. We’ve just got to work hard.”
Even as the Jaguars played an aggressive game at midfield and kept up with the Wolf Pack’s speed, West coach Nate Perry saw that his team’s one-touch passing controlled the game.
“That’s a rare thing in your very first preseason game,” Perry said. “For that chemistry to already be there is pretty promising.”
Madruga wove his way through the midfield and past Kimball’s defenders for his first goal 22 minutes into the game. He scored again 20 minutes into the second half on a shot from the middle, which deflected off the crossbar and across the goal line. Kimball goalie Juan Cardenas blocked eight more of West’s shots.
Kimball’s Ryan Chaney kept up the Jaguars’ offensive pressure but was unable to get his shots past West’s defenders.
West goalie Dan Barratta had six blocks, and sweeper Waseem Latifi also blocked a couple of Kimball shots.
Chaney said the Jaguars (1-4) focused on a hard-charging response at midfield to West’s offensive attacks.
“We dominated in the middle,” said Chaney, a sophomore forward, after the game. “It’s just getting our shots in the goal.”
West junior midfielder Alex Valencia said his team’s ability to keep the ball moving between players gave the Wolf Pack an advantage.
“Our passing was really good this game,” Valencia said. “So far, we’ve been working together. We just need to keep it up and put the ball in the back of the net more. I know we can do it.”
Kimball goes 1-3 at tourney
Kimball High’s varsity soccer team went 1-3 for the weekend at the Pitman High Tournament in Turlock.
On Friday, Aug. 24, the Jaguars lost to Merced, 2-0, and Franklin, 6-0.
On Saturday, Aug. 25, the Jaguars lost to Patterson, 4-2, and beat Riverbank, 3-1. Kimball coach Ron Hattley said that while the young team needs to make considerable progress, he was encouraged by the improvement he saw during the weekend.
Tracy 3, St. Mary’s 2
The Bulldogs opened their season Friday at St. Mary’s High in Stockton, where they beat the Rams 3-2 after the teams were tied 1-1 at the half.
Munoz scored two goals for Tracy, Pelayo scored a goal, and Munoz and Mayes had assists.
• Contact Bob Brownne at 830-4227 or brownne@tracypress.com.
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