Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Cal State Dominguez Hills Athletics

Upcoming Events & Results

Composite Calendar
FloSports
2008 Men's Soccer Trophy

Men's Soccer

Men's Soccer Preview: The Title Defense Begins

The defense of the 2008 NCAA Title begins tomorrow at Grand Canyon
CARSON -- Now what?

The 2008 season left an exclamation mark on a campaign that saw the Cal State Dominguez Hills men's soccer team capture the 2008 NCAA National Championship with a dominating 3-0 triumph over Dowling (NY) in the title game, its second crown in the last eight years.

Adding the proverbial icing on the cake were NSCAA National Coach of the Year honors for head coach Joe Flanagan and NSCAA National Player of the Year honors for current senior defender and four-time All-American Kevin Gallaugher, giving the Toros four All-America awards and three MVP honors in 2008 to lead a litany of year-long accomplishments.

However, as Flanagan stated during last year's ring ceremony hosted by CSUDH President Dr. Mildred García, what's done is done, and the focus remains now.  "I told my guys we'd like to win again, but we're not going to focus on back-to-back titles,” he said as a matter-of-fact.  “We're going to focus on 2009.  I like our returning team and I like the recruits we have so I think we'll be a strong team.”

Gone from last year's title team are four four-year seniors who supplied the heart on the squad, and a transfer keeper who's since been selected to play professionally in the MLS.  Returning, however, is a four-time All-American and the reigning NSCAA Player of the Year in Gallaugher as part of 13 players with NCAA Championship experience under their collective belts, making for one formidable team intent on a return trip to Tampa.

“Right now we're thinking about 2009 and trying to build a title contender again, needing to have the hunger and desire to win again,” Flanagan continues.  “We have to live in the now.”

Here's a closer look at who will look to lead the 2009 team back to the “Sunshine State.”
PUBLIC DEFENDER #1

Defense wins championships, and there's no better example of that adage than senior defender Kevin Gallaugher, the reigning NSCAA Player of the Year.  In addition to his NSCAA hardware, Gallaugher took home the CCAA Male Athlete of the Year, CCAA Defensive MVP and 1st-team All-CCAA, two 1st-team All-America, two 1st-team All-Region, the NCAA Final Four and West Region Defensive MVP and CCAA/Brine Player of the Week honors to go along with his NCAA Title. 

Last season, Gallaugher was one of only two Toros to start all 27 games, logging nearly 2,400 minutes of action in leading his team to 14 shutouts on the season, including 3 in the NCAA postseason, while holding the opposition to just 19 goals all year, and just 3 scores in the postseason.

Additionally, the now four-time All-American finished fifth in league in game-winning goals, adding offensive firepower to his already stifling defensive presence.  This season, Flanagan again will look to Gallaugher to lead the Toros in their quest for another NCAA trophy, but knows the target on CSUDH's collective back has grown exponentially.

“Kevin's always done his job but last year he really started to dominate in his position,” the two-time NSCAA Coach of the Year says.  “Now with his taste of success, his expectation of himself and his teammates is very high.  He's a no-nonsense guy and always comes ready to play, and leads by both example and through words.  When you have a guy that's a good player and does it on the field every day, it's pretty hard to not see that as a player and as a coach, and it becomes pretty infectious.”

In addition to Gallaugher, senior Marco Pulido is a perhaps the conference's best kept secret after filling a huge void during last year's title run.  The South Gate native solidified the backline with 20 starts, notching 3 assists on the year.  “Marco is an all-conference type player who gives it his best,” begins Flanagan.  “He's very smart defensively, a hard worker and one of the fittest guys on the team.  He's also very tenacious and a great ball winner for us, and definitely one of the best defenders in the conference for sure.”
FORWARD PROGRESS

The forward position again should be well-equipped to make a return run deep into the postseason, with both skill and experience at the striker position in the form of a stellar sophomore and gifted newcomers leading the charge.
   
One half of the dynamic twin duo, Greg Piechota makes his return to Carson after leaving an indelible first impression on the league.  The San Diego native established himself as a fixture in the starting line-up towards the end of the season, tying for 5th in the CCAA in both goals and game-winners, and tying for 8th in points after his 8-goal, 3-assist effort as a freshman. 

“We have a whole new group up there for the most part except for Greg,” begins Flanagan.  “But knowing our level of expectations and the great second half he had, I like what we have with him and our new crop of recruits.”

 
THE MIDDLE GROUND

The midfield remains the strongest, deepest and most experienced position on this year's squad, boasting four seniors, with three playing their fourth year in Carson, as well as a junior who made a name for himself during the NCAA title run.  “We basically have the starting midfield from last year returning, and that probably should be the most consistent part of our game,” Flanagan begins.  

Led by Artesia native Scott Mariano, who paced last year's squad with his 9 assists to place him in a 9th-place tie in the CSUDH record book for assists in a single season, Flanagan looks for leadership, toughness and the occasional score from his multi-faceted quartet.  Mariano came up huge in 2008, tying for 3rd in the CCAA in assists and 8th in points, adding 4 assists and 3 goals during the postseason, including 2 game-winners vs. Midwestern State in the quarters and at Tampa in the semifinals.

Senior Andrew Marinez, who was named the NCAA Final Four Offensive MVP for his all-around superb play in Tampa, notched 5 assists and 2 goals on the year, including a score in the title game over Dowling and a game-winner in the 2-0 blanking of Humboldt State in early October.

Eight months removed from forever etching his name in the annals of NCAA soccer history following his game-winner against Dowling, his lone clincher of 2008, senior Brian Alvarez looks to lead the Toros to Tampa for a repeat appearance.  Starting 11 of 18 games played in his first year as a Toro, Alvarez connected for 3 assists and 2 goals on the year after sitting out a good portion of the season due to injury.

“Brian and Andrew possess a great ability to take people on, and to create for us on the wings for the forwards and for themselves, so I expect Andrew and Brian to have great seasons for us,” Flanagan says.

The third four-year senior, Hiram Rangel emerged as a key piece to the 2008 Championship squad after starting all 26 games played as a junior.  Named to both the NCAA Final Four and West Region All-Tournament teams, Rangel's 2 goals on the year were well-chronicled after a game-winner in a thriller over Cal State L.A. in overtime, as well as the third and final goal over Dowling in the title match.

Diego Turoldo, meanwhile, makes his return to the Toros for his junior campaign after starting 8 games in 22 played in 2008.  An instigator, Turoldo's lone score of the year came in a 4-0 win over Cal State L.A. in the West Region Championship, while two of his three assists coming on in a 5-3 “Senior Day” win over Cal State San Marcos in late October, with his final assist occurring in the championship match over Dowling.

“Last year Hiram was a good hard-working guy for us but this year, he's going to have to anchor that center midfielder position, and be more of a leader for us than he was last year,” Flanagan envisions, while “Diego's come out with a more offensive spark than we've seen from him and we expect some great things from Diego this year. Again, I think he has a higher expectation of himself and the team now.”
"KEEPING" IT REAL

After boasting a pair of senior keepers who combined for a 0.68 GAA, the 2009 campaign will feature a pair of 6'4” redshirt freshmen and two newcomers vying for time in goal.  

Beaumont native Markus Dickerson, who was recruited by San Diego State as a football player, and Huntington Beach resident Mitch Weeks will each compete for his fair share of playing time, following in the footsteps of former professional and All-American caliber keepers.

“That's the one position that doesn't have experience,” Flanagan begins.  “But we feel both keepers are very capable of playing the position, and being all-conference type keepers in a year or two, and maybe even this year.  Markus and Mitch both had a great preseason, especially working with the keeper coach, and we're definitely going to need both of them to step up.”
  NEW FACES

As is expected after winning the national title, Flanagan and his coaching staff are very pleased with the quality of newcomers who will don the Cardinal & Gold for the first time this year.  In addition to adding speed and strength to the forward position, the Toros enter the defense of their crown with skilled midfielders and hard-nosed defenders, all of whom looking to keep the title in the south bay.

"Andre Turoldo, Tyler Petry and John Sherman are those we're looking to make a big impact because they're forwards and are going to have to score some goals for us,” says Flanagan as a matter-of-fact.  “They have good ability but they're going to have to play together and get to know each other.

Sherman, who led Cal State L.A. in scoring en route to 2nd-team All-CCAA honors a few seasons ago, “ knows the level of competition in our league,” begins Flanagan.  “And Petry is a big hardworking player who's going to give teams fits in terms of his work ethic and strength,” while Turoldo, who was named the Daily Breeze Player of the Year, “has great quickness and a great ability to score.  So we feel we have components who are going to put defenses on their heels and score some goals for us.”

Joining Gallaugher and Pulido in the back will be a hotly contested battle, but an unknown that only has upsides with talents like Miguel Vargas, Scott Locken, Chris Lopez and Kent Hayashi looking to leave their own marks in Toro Stadium, and beyond.
 
“Vargas is a lot like Marco in that he is very tenacious defensively and can really get up and down the line and can get forward in the attack while Locken reads the game very well and is a great passer who just does the dirty work,” Flanagan continues.

“Locken won't show up in the stat sheet too much but he's kind of like Albert Garcia, and gives us great shape and balance in the back.  Lopez and Hayashi, meanwhile, can play central defense with Kevin, and we're looking to see who'll step up.”

Another transfer who may make an immediate impact is South Pasadena local Greg Altounian, who "may be a surprise because he can play the midfield in the middle or out wide and possess good touch and the ability to take people on,” while freshman Jeremy Castro “comes from a good club team and has good experience there so he could probably come in and help out the right back position and give us some depth.”

   
"JT"

One year removed from both tragedy and a title, former Toro Jaret “JT” Minami's passing in August 2008 continues to inspire, and remains a tangible presence in the Toros soccer circle.  Eight months ago, Flanagan reflected on the significance of JT's jersey No. 3, and how it carried the team to the promised land after claiming the NCAA Title with a 3-0 victory over Dowling.
    
“The number 3 was a lucky number for us tonight and in the playoffs,” said Flanagan in an interview after winning the title.  "We scored three goals in the first game, in the semi and then today, and posted three shutouts in the five playoff games.  In the first round, our team captain scored a hat trick and in these last two games, we had three different players score in each game.  We all believe JT was a big part of it.  Dedicating the season to him was a big thing for our team.  It was a bit of a rallying point to work for a player who epitomized what we're all about as a soccer program.”

After dedicating last year's title to Minami, this year's squad will honor him in 2009 by presenting one male and female soccer player with the Inaugural JT Minami Memorial Scholarship at halftime of the men's season home opener on September 1.

“It hasn't been as much as a focal point as it was last year since it happened in the beginning of august,” Flanagan begins, pausing to collect his emotions, “but with his name on the new scholarship ....

“We'll have to talk to the captains and figure out a good way to keep his legacy going and make sure that the new players understand the importance of what he represents and what our team now represents with him in our memory.”
RIGHT HERE

“This team is good enough to win,” Flanagan says confidently.

“We know what we need to have and now it's getting it done on the field.  We do have the components to be successful, and you can see the willingness that the new guys have, wanting to bring whatever they can and willing to do the extra work during practice all with smiles on their faces, because they want a taste of that level as well.

“We had a very new team in 2001, and though they wanted to be national champions, they didn't know they could be,” he continues, reflecting on his first title in 2000.

“This year, though we still have a lot of new guys, we have more good players returning who know they can be champions, so there's a level of expectation from them that they're even looking at the coaching staff differently and giving us a hard time if we're not pushing them enough.  So they have shown an extremely mature way of looking at things since they've been there and know what it takes to get there.  And with the energy of the new players, I think we're going to have a good season.

“Winning is very addicting, and getting to the final four is extremely addicting, and once you get a taste of it, you want to get back,” Flanagan concludes.  “I'm sure the returners talk about it all the time to the new players of how great it is, and about their appetite to get back there.  And now, we're looking forward to doing it on the field and getting this thing going. 

Right now.”
Print Friendly Version