The Greyhound varsity soccer team will take on the unfamiliar
role of league favorite this year, as the soccer season gets under
way this week.
The Hounds, under first-year head coach Robert Perman and
assistant Tomas Morales, hope to establish a cohesive unit that may
turn out to be one of the strongest in the North Bay.
³We¹ve got some great returning players with a lot of talent,
and I¹m just trying to bring this team together,² said Perman, a
former collegiate star. ³I¹m very optimistic about the upcoming
season.²
Healdsburg is coming off of its best year ever in 2005, forging
a co-championship with perennial power Analy at 9-2-1 and finishing
up with an overall record of 16-7-2. The Hounds shook off the
firing of coach Bryan Hayworth just before the North Coast Section
playoffs last season, then went out and beat Fortuna in the playoff
opener before falling to Analy, 1-0 in the second round.
Although Healdsburg lost a handful of players to graduation,
including all-leaguers Kevin Smart, Brooks Gerstley, Taylor Behmke
and Kory Hirtzer, they will return a star-studded line-up this
season.
Returning players include all-leaguers: senior forward and
leading scorer Efrain Aguado, senior mid-fielder Alex Sarabi,
junior defender Jorge Porcayo, senior forward and assist leader
Mario Gonzalez, senior midfielder Miguel Pena and senior goalie
Luke Wilson. Other returnees are: sophomore midfielder Alex Taylor
and junior defender Josh Giron and junior midfielder Edgar Guzman.
Healdsburg will also be counting on several talented athletes
moving up from last year¹s JV squad to fill out a projected roster
of 16 players.
Healdsburg Invitational Tournament on tap this weekend
The Healdsburg varsity and JV teams will kick off the fall
campaign by hosting the annual Healdsburg Invitational Soccer
Tournament, which includes both a varsity and JV tournament running
concurrently this Friday and Saturday (Aug. 26-27). Games will be
played at Recreation Park, and HHS fields 1 and 2.
Participating varsity teams include: Healdsburg, Arcata, Elsie
Allen, Maria Carrillo, Drake, Mission Piner and Santa Rosa. The
Hounds open up on Friday against Maria Carrillo at Rec Park at 4
p.m. On Saturday, Healdsburg will face Elsie Allen at 9:45 a.m. at
Rec Park, followed by a 1:30 p.m. clash with Arcata at HHS 1. The
varsity championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at
Rec Park.
The JV tourney will feature: Healdsburg, Piner, Santa Rosa, St.
Helena, Tamalpais, Drake, Elsie Allen and Maria Carrillo. The
Greyhounds open the tournament on Friday against Maria Carrillo at
6:30 p.m. at HHS 1. On Saturday, the Hounds JV play Drake at Rec
Park at 11 a.m. followed by a 2:45 p.m. game against Elsie Allen at
HHS 2. The JV title game is set for Saturday at 5:05 p.m. at Rec
Park.
