Davis boys soccer beats Ceres to win first league title in 30 years
The last time the Davis High boys soccer team won a league title was 1993 as a member of the Central California Conference. Since then, the team has played in the Modesto Metro Conference and the first few years as a member of the Western Athletic Conference.
The Spartans ended that streak Monday afternoon, beating last season’s league champion Ceres 6-0 in their final WAC game to claim a share of the league title. They finished with the same league record as Mountain House: 9-3-2.
Miguel Iniquez, Adrian Valencia, Isai Morales and Jon Fregoso each scored at least once and Gabriel Abarca finished with four assists.
Throughout the season, when the Davis High boys soccer team entered a game, head coach Ninos Isaac has no idea who was going to score.
Through the Spartans’ first six games, the goal differential was 15-5 and they finished with a 5-1 record.
How?
Instead of just one scorer, the Spartans have at least eight players who can put goals away at any time.
Abarca, Fregoso, Alfredo Cardenas and Carlos Varela are the team’s top goal scorers with at least eight while four others add four or more. Abarca and Fregoso lead the team with 12 and 11 assists, respectively.
“In a game where it’s really tight and we’re playing against a tough defense, it’s just hard (for them) to find the player on our team that’s going to crack them open … you can’t really guard just one of our players,” said Isaac. “We’ve got a whole bunch of different attack pieces.”
“Honestly, I think that’s helped a lot,” Fregoso said of the team’s offensive versatility. “We just try to stay humble. Me personally, I don’t like thinking about just scoring … as long as you get the win.”
After finishing in second to last place last season, it is safe to assume that Davis’ historic season came as a surprise to the entire WAC, but Isaac saw potential early.
“I came to the tryouts and I looked at the talent, and I’m like, ‘There’s 14 players here that I have to have,’” Isaac said. “It began there. I kind of put the word in the ear of the athletic director that we might have something special here.”
Winning the Gregori Invitational with four straight shutouts against Oakdale, Manteca, Gustine and St. Mary’s confirmed it. The 2022-23 Spartans would be special.
Davis entered league play with a 6-2 record. The six wins were already more than the past two seasons combined.
No opponent beat the Spartans twice through league play as they finished with a 9-3-2 record. They outscored other WAC teams 38-13 with seven shutouts.
Fregoso moved to Modesto from San Bernardino his freshman year and the team embraced him. Since joining varsity as a sophomore, he has helped the team go from five wins in his first two seasons to 15.
“In my senior year, my last year, I’m happy to make history,” said Fregoso, who had a hat trick in Monday’s win. “It’s great, honestly.”
Isaac says the team is successful because of its play in the middle of the field. While other teams pass the ball along the sidelines to set up an attack, the Spartans’ aggression allows them to quickly turn defense into offense.
“When the other team’s got the ball, we need to dispossess them and we’re good at that,” Isaac said. “And when we’ve got the ball we need to move the ball in a way that creates space for the players and we do a good job of that, too.”
The Spartans will begin preparation for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs later this week, but for at least one day, they will enjoy their accomplishment.
“You look around the gym and you see the history there and it’s exciting,” Isaac said. “It’s a proud moment for everybody involved.”
This story was originally published February 7, 2023 at 10:31 AM.
