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    Boys soccer preview: JSerra ready for challenges that come with being a champion
    • November 11, 2023

    JSerra boys soccer players Logan Mahoney (32), Noah Parks (77), Tanner Casey (70) and Noah Nesson (1) in San Juan Capistrano, CA, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. JSerra is the No. 1 team in the Orange County boys soccer preseason rankings. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    JSerra boys soccer player Noah Nesson (1) in San Juan Capistrano, CA, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. JSerra is the No. 1 team in the Orange County boys soccer preseason rankings. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    JSerra boys soccer player Tanner Casey (70) in San Juan Capistrano, CA, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. JSerra is the No. 1 team in the Orange County boys soccer preseason rankings. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    JSerra boys soccer player Logan Mahoney (32) in San Juan Capistrano, CA, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. JSerra is the No. 1 team in the Orange County boys soccer preseason rankings. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    JSerra boys soccer player Noah Parks (77) in San Juan Capistrano, CA, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. JSerra is the No. 1 team in the Orange County boys soccer preseason rankings. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    JSerra boys soccer players Logan Mahoney (32), Noah Parks (77), Tanner Casey (70) and Noah Nesson (1) in San Juan Capistrano, CA, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. JSerra is the No. 1 team in the Orange County boys soccer preseason rankings. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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    When a boys soccer team wins everything that can be won, that team becomes every opponent’s World Cup final.

    That team is JSerra this season.

    The Lions last season won the Trinity League championship, the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship and the CIF Southern California Regional Division 1 championship.

    JSerra junior defender Tanner Casey said it a good and welcomed challenge.

    “It feels good,” said Casey, All-Trinity League second team last year. “It brings a sense of urgency of trying to win it all again. We want to create a legacy that’s not been created here before.”

    JSerra coach Erik Kirsch said the Lions have the talent to repeat last season’s success, and some luck would be helpful.

    “We’ve got a good group of guys and a good group of talented players,” said Kirsch, last season’s Orange County boys soccer coach of the year. “It’s just a matter of staying healthy and seeing if we can deal with the distractions that come with winning like we did the year before.

    “Can we keep the motivation up when everyone’s coming at you? We might lose one here or tie one there, but that shouldn’t affect how you finish at the end of the season.”

    Casey is confident the Lions can manage it.

    “Our culture plays a big part in that,” Casey said. “We’re really positive people.”

    Players and coaches for the JSerra boys soccer team pose for a group photo after winning the CIF Southern California Division I Regional title with a 3-0 victory over Birmingham on Saturday, March 4. (Photo by Manny Alvarez)

    Defense again will be a major part of JSerra’s game. The Lions shut out Sunny Hills 2-0 in the CIF-SS Division 1 final and blanked Birmingham 3-0 in the regional final a year ago.

    Also returning from that team are junior forward Gavin Allegaert, senior defender Logan Manohey, senior midfielder Greyson Moreno, senior goalkeeper Noah Nesson and junior forward Jake Tatch.

    The Lions begin their season Nov. 29 with a home game against Anaheim.

    NOTES

    Soccer referees in some parts of the CIF Southern Section have threatened to strike this season’s games if they do not get an immediate raise in pay. CIF-SS soccer referees receive $75 per game according to a contract that went into effect last season. Tom Freker, director of the Orange County Soccer Officials, said O.C. officials would not strike as a group but could not rule out individual boycotts of games. Some referee associations in L.A. County have said their members plan to strike.  …

    The season begins Monday, Nov. 13. The CIF-SS playoffs begin Feb. 5. The 2023-24 boys soccer season will have an Open Division. The number of teams selected for the Open bracket will be decided at the end of the regular season. The CIF Southern Section has seven playoff divisions in boys soccer. …

    The CIF-SS released its “watch list” of teams that could be in CIF-SS divisional polls as the season progresses. Among the 16 teams on the Division 1 watch list are Orange County’s Godinez, JSerra, Los Alamitos, Orange Lutheran, San Clemente, Servite, Sunny Hills and Villa Park. Other county teams that are on division watch lists are Anaheim, Corona del Mar, Esperanza, Fairmont Prep, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, Newport Harbor, Orange, Sage Hill, St. Margaret’s, Santiago, Tesoro, Troy, Tustin and Yorba Linda. …

    Joe Moyer, an All-Trinity League first-team player at Servite last season as a junior, will not play high school soccer this season. He will play club soccer instead, Servite coach Eddie Soto confirmed. …

    The SoCal College Showcase tournament at Chapman University, Dec. 27-29, includes co-hosts San Clemente and Cathedral. Also in it are Orange Lutheran and Servite.

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    ​ Orange County Register 

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