Season Preview: Vaqueros re-load for another title run

With a roster loaded with international talent, the SBCC men's soccer team will open its 2014 campaign on Wednesday with a 2 p.m. game at L.A. Harbor. The home opener is Friday vs. Taft at 7 p.m.

John Sisterson is entering his eighth season as head coach and he's four wins shy of 100 in his SBCC men's career. The English native is 96-38-19 for a winning percentage of .690.

The Vaqueros went 11-9 last year and took second in the Western State Conference at 11-7. Sisterson has guided his teams to three WSC titles (2008, 2009, 2011) and a State Final Four appearance in 2011.

SBCC is the all-time winningest team in WSC history with nine titles and a win percentage of .725.

This year's team features 27 international players from 12 countries, including eight from England. There are two local players on the team in forward Omar Montalvo, a second-team All-WSC choice from last year and defender Kevin Shaw of San Marcos.

Seven players are back from previous squads, including 6-5 defender Mehdi Badache of Tunisia, Richard Caine and Barnaby Hitchcock of England and midfielder Efrain Olvera from Mexico. Olvera played on the Final Four team that went 18-2-4.

Three players are vying for the start at goalkeeper – Oscar Haard-Thelm, Jan Bert and Tristan Cooper.

Top newcomers include forward Gonzalo Jimenez and midfielders Enrique Fernandez and Erik Winnberg.

"I think we'll get leadership from Ritchie and Barnaby, along with center back Haydn Dickinson," said Sisterson. "We should be good on defense and offense with goal-scorers like Gonzalo, Callum Challinor and Albi Skendi.

"This squad seems to understand the game. There's a lot of creativity in midfield and they've worked hard as a unit."

Caine, a returner from last year, says it takes a while for the international players to blend as a unit.

"It's difficult sometimes when you face another team that's been playing together for a long time," he said. "But as the year goes on, we'll get more cohesive and start building our confidence. We have to make sure everyone's on the same page and we all understand our roles."

Sisterson said the biggest key to success is hard work.

"If they work hard in practice, work hard in the classroom and get things done ahead of time, the games become a little easier," he noted. "I like the old saying and it's one of our mottos, 'Hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard.'  We try to instill that. First and foremost, they have to work hard.

"Our goal is always to win the conference but it's early days right now. We'll take each game as it comes. If you focus on each game ahead and win that game, you're going to win the conference."