Modesto High soccer looks to take next step under new coach

The Modesto boys soccer team hopes an old framework and a new voice will help the program take the next step.

The Panthers have long been the standard in the Modesto Metro Conference, winning the last three championships under former coach Matt Mendes.

Modesto went 46-16-14 during that stretch, establishing itself as one of the premier programs in the southern half of the Sac-Joaquin Section. But when it came time to scrap with the powerhouses in the north, the Panthers watched even their best teams peter out in the first and second rounds of the Division I tournament.

First-year coach Martin Casillas insists that talent hasn’t been the issue. Casillas was Mendes’ top assistant the last three seasons, and he believes Modesto has been the victim of bad bounces and tough draws.

The southern half of the section has produced just four Division I champions since 1976. Merced was the last team from this region to win, pulling off a dramatic upset of Davis (Yolo) in the 2008 final. The last Modesto City Schools program to win a D-I title was Beyer in 1996.

Casillas is dreaming big in his first season as coach.

“To be honest, when I accepted this position in May, my goal immediately was to go to the playoffs and maybe even achieve something a little bigger,” said Casillas, whose team edged Gregori Thursday on a Jordi Hernandez strike. “We know we have a strong team. It won’t be easy to win league, but we’ll try. We’ve set our goals higher. We want to do something bigger.

“It’s easy for us to say, but now we have to prove it. We’re working hard and the kids are playing hard. We’re a little confident, but you always want to think positive.”

So far, the Panthers have produced nothing but positive results.

Modesto is unbeaten in its first 12 matches with victories over perennial playoff teams such as Turlock, Manteca and Central Valley. Modesto had never tasted success against Central Valley, a four-time section finalist, until this season.

Casillas credits Mendes for leaving him a ready-made champion. Mendes remains on campus, but stepped away from the boys and girls soccer programs to spend more time with his family.

His impact on the program is evident. He not only shaped many of the upperclassmen but helped their coach develop his style and find his voice.

“He made it really easy for me,” Casillas said of his predecessor. “Besides, he always gave me the chance to expand and to use my own ideas, as well. When I came in and helped out (with varsity), he allowed me to take over the team. It made it really easy to do the transfer.”

Of course, Casillas has incorporated his own touches. He got an early jump on conditioning, implemented a code of conduct and he performs regular checks on his players’ grades. He hopes those three changes, coupled with Mendes’ framework, will take the Panthers deeper into the season.

“We’re building what I believe is a stronger team than we’ve had in the past,” Casillas said. “You can see it in their play ... . They want to take it further. The last (three) years have been great, but these seniors, they want to do something a little bigger to leave their mark.”

Modesto is led by four captains, who literally form a spine: goalie Anthony Mejia, sweeper Adrian Gutierrez, center midfielder Ramiro Lopez and striker Serafin Alberto.

Alberto tops the Panthers in scoring with 14 goals. The returning all-Modesto Metro Conference forward also handles the kicking duties for the football team.

Lopez is second with 11 goals.

Freshman Edward Berumen, and juniors Armando Duran and Alejandro Camacho each have eight assists. Modesto is outscoring its opponents nearly 4 to 1 and has allowed just 10 goals.

Mejia and Gutierrez stabilize the defense. Mejia has 38 saves in eight games as the starter.

“They control the arms and legs and head of this team,” Casillas said. “What’s great is that these captains have everybody floating around them. They hear them and they listen to them; they play with them and for them at the same time.”

Even one of their lowest moments has become a source of strength and optimism. Modesto found itself in an early hole to Downey when a pass back to Mejia fooled the goalie and bounced into the net for an own goal.

Immediately, Gutierrez and the other Panthers rallied around their dejected teammate. Eventually, Alberto equalized as the Panthers averted their first loss with a 1-1 draw.

While Casillas cursed the own goal, he applauded his team for its resolve.

“That said a lot. That told me that we’re building a strong team,” Casillas said. “You see how they’ve grown. They’re there for each other. They support one another. To come back and save the game for their goalie, that was really good to see.”

This story was originally published September 25, 2015 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Modesto High soccer looks to take next step under new coach."