Dallas Ranch Middle School Aviators in full control at AUSD Soccer Tournament

Dallas Ranch Middle School Boys and Girls 2015 Tournament Champion soccer teams.

Dallas Ranch Middle School Boys and Girls 2015 Tournament Champion soccer teams. Photo by Michael Pohl.

By Luke Johnson

Dallas Ranch Middle School dominated in the Antioch Unified School District Soccer Tournament. In the championship matches, the girls defeated Antioch Middle 7-0, while the boys succeeded Black Diamond Middle 4-0, on Saturday, March 21st.

In five matches of the tournament (four round robin and one final), the Aviators boys and girls only allowed their opponents to score one goal each. They were led defensively by keepers Bryan Cruz (27 saves) and Juana Mendoza (22 saves). Cruz is one of the top ranked goalies in California among all 8th graders, according to coach Conrad Diaz.

Eli Orocio on his way to score one of his three goals. Photo by Michael Pohl.

Eli Orocio on his way to score one of his three goals. Photo by Michael Pohl.

Offensively the girls were boosted by Sarah Figueroa and Tatiana Elsea, who had seven goals and five assists apiece; while the boys were propelled by Elias Orocio and Gustavo Perez, who both had three goals and three assists. Figueroa performed a hat-trick by scoring four of her goals in the championship match. Overall DRMS outscored its opponents 19-1 for the girls and 12-1 for the boys.

Diaz, who coaches both teams and just won his first championship in his three-year tenure, said the biggest victory this season did not happen on the field but in the classroom. Earlier in the school year, six players had a 0.5 GPA and were ineligible. But all of them found encouragement in playing soccer and brought up their grades to over a 2.0, some over 2.5, to compete this season.

This school was blessed with good players,” Diaz said. “They were enthusiastic about getting their grades up, and they were self-motivated… That is my success story; not the trophies. The trophies are great, and all that, but getting those six students to realize that academics are first, and that’s their future.”


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Eli Orocio had most goals


Soccer Champs


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