2011 Men's Soccer Preview - Something to Prove

Captains (L-R) Jordan Hatanaka, Markus Dickerson and Jordan Rover will look to lead the Toros back to NCAA postseason glory

CARSON -- When one door closes, another is said to open.

At least that's the thinking on the Carson campus after the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros men's soccer team, three years removed from the 2008 NCAA National Title and two years removed from the 2009 CCAA Championship, was snubbed from last year's NCAA west region in a shocking decision by the NCAA championship committee, snapping a string of 11-consecutive NCAA postseason appearances.

Their exclusion, which sent shockwaves around the league, region and nation, looks to add more fuel to this season's fire in hopes of recapturing CSUDH's rightful and earned place amongst the nation's best.

Last season saw the Toros begin the season with a 5-0 mark and end the regular season with three-straight wins in which they out-scored their opponents 10-0, before blasting NCAA west region host Chico State 3-0 in the first round of the CCAA Tournament.

Falling 1-0 in the title game to nemesis Sonoma State, CSUDH was left as the odd team out after the NCAA's decision, spurring a summer of self-reflection and soul searching.

This year's team is set to return 12 players to the pitch in 2011, including All-CCAA selections in junior keeper Markus Dickerson, and has head coach Joe Flanagan quietly optimistic about the team's chances this year.

"Our goalkeeping is very strong – we probably have the three best goalkeepers as a unit that we've ever had - and defensively, we're very solid and really deep in the midfield," he begins.

"The real question mark for us is our youth. We have some good players but we have some freshmen, redshirt freshmen, maybe two, that are really expected to carry a good scoring load, but they haven't done it.

"But we like what we see and hopefully they can transition quickly into making a difference."

Here's a closer look at who else will be expected to make a difference when early November arrives.

THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE

Markus Dickerson continues his tenure as the Toros' last line of defense, strengthening his lean 6'4 frame into what he hopes will be a championship year.

"This has been Markus' best preseason by far," says Flanagan with a smile. "He seems very motivated and inspired to do well, and (keepers' coach) Mike's (Littman) been doing a great job with him training-wise. We expect him to have a great season."

Needing just four shutouts and 15 wins to become the Toros' all-time career leader in those categories entering his junior season, the All-CCAA honorable mention honoree currently sits 2nd in the Toro record books for wins, 3rd and 4th in shutouts and 5th and 10th in GAA in a single season, and 3rd in both GAA and shutouts and 6th in wins in a career.

Last year, the Beaumont native finished 2nd in shutouts, 3rd in GAA, 7th in saves and 9th in save percentage in the league, with his GAA also good for 23rd in the NCAA. He also posted 9.5 shutouts on the year, including two stretches of four-consecutive blankings, and allowed just one goal in final 5 games of season that lowered his GAA by 0.16 of a point.

FORWARDS

Los Alamitos native Jordan Rover returns for his final season in Cardinal and Gold after making 14 starts in 21 appearances in 2010, tying for the team lead in goals with 7. As the lone holdover from 2008's NCAA Championship team who saw playing time, Rover enjoyed one multi-goal contest in 5-0 win over CS Monterey Bay (Sept 17), and notched lone game-winner of the year on "Senior Day" in 1-0 win over 3rd-ranked CS San Bernardino (Oct 31).

"Jordan Rover has quietly become a leader throughout his years here," begins Flanagan. "He's always been a very brainy, smart player who makes others around him better. He just reads the game very well and is a step ahead, which as an attacker, you need to be."

MIDFIELDERS

Sophomores Miguel Vasquez and Wyatt Stucker saw the most action last year in the midfleld, and will be counted upon to lead a talented group of returners and newcomers in what is shaping up to be one of the deeper positions on this year's squad.

Stucker made 14 starts in 15 games played as a true freshman, scoring his first collegiate goal in his first collegiate game, a game-winner in a 3-1 win over Concordia (Sept 2). He also tallied one multi-assist effort in 5-0 win over CS East Bay (Sept 10) as part of 4 assists on the year.

Vasquez, meanwhile, saw 8 starts in 18 games played and scored his first collegiate goal at CS East Bay (Sept 10) that accounted for lone game-winner in a 5-0 blowout, adding a second score two games later in a win over CS Monterey Bay (Sept 17).

"I think Miguel is gonna take a bigger load this year," says Flanagan. "He's done very well this preseason,"

Senior Josh Walker, junior Ryan Evans, and sophomore Carlos Garcia will also see time on the field in hopes after combining for 25 games played last year.

Redshirt freshman Henry Calistro saw action in two games last season, but already has displayed the talent that will help make the Toros a contender once again.

"He's got great ability, he can up front or play out wide and really create stuff for himself or create a dangerous situations for players around him," Flanagan says "So he's gonna be a good player for us."

DEFENDERS

The backfield also will provide strength to an otherwise newcomer-heavy line-up, with four returners set to capture the CCAA title after just missing in 2010.

Sophomore Jordan Hatanaka was just one of two Toros to start all 21 games last year, helping the backline post 11 shutouts and hold opponents to just 1 goal in four other games.

"Hatanaka came in last year as a freshman and was nails," extols Flanagan. "He was so consistent and so defensive-minded and one-on-one he was just great with everything. He has a great mentality for the game and he's always ready, and I think that competitive spirit he has really shows. He just became a starter and never relinquished that spot, and that's why we made him a team captain this year.

"He's always ready," continues Flanagan. "He's always ready to go and I like that from a team captain standpoint that he practices how he plays. That's a great pattern and a great example for the rest of the players to see."

Senior Antonio Garcia also saw action in 17 games and Billy Gutierrez made 15 appearances in their first years as Toros, and will add experience and talent to the backline.

Gutierrez came on strong towards the season's end, scoring his first goal as a Toro in a 4-0 shutout at University of Hawai'i Hilo (Oct 25), and adding both assists on the year over season's final four games.

NEWCOMERS

Head coach Flanagan welcomes a plethora of talented newcomers looking to make their respective marks on the Toro soccer program, in hopes of returning CSUDH back to its national prominence.

Ronald Ybarra is one Flanagan points to as someone who will be a key connector. "He'll bring an attacking center-midfield mentality, but he's more of a connector and will put players in good spots."

Another newcomer who the coaches have high hopes for is redshirt freshman Santos Romero. "He's just tenacious," says Flanagan, "and a really feisty guy with a great defensive mindset who can pass and create a little."

Two others to look out for are freshman Sung Moon and Tony Alfaro.

"Sung makes things happen and could be a freshman starter and someone to watch out for, while Tony is another centerback who we expect to play a lot of minutes," Flanagan begins. "He's young, but he's come in with a great determination to go after it."

SOMETHING TO PROVE

Flanagan, his staff and the returning players all feel they have something to prove this year, and realize that their fate can't be left in the hands of others. They know every game means something, and can't take anything for granted.

"There were a couple of games during the season last year that I think we just thought we could show up and win, and I think once we learned our lesson after losing those games, we became a very good team at the end of the season and showed that we were one of the top teams in the west region," Flanagan reflects.

"But when the opportunity is taken away from you, that scars for a while and I know it's motivated us as coaches. We lost a good group of returners, so we'll see how Markus and Jordan and Jordan Rover and guys like that, how they're gonna really inspire the rest of their teammates to really go for it."

EXPECTATIONS

All associated with the men's soccer program know what's expected from themselves, and that is to make another mark on the national scale. However, based on last year's snub, they know that the lapses that occurred last season have to be few and far between to make a return to postseason glory.

"It's pretty amazing that we have 17 guys who are underclassmen out of our 27 or 28 players, so they're really going to need to step up," Flanagan says optimistically. "These guys have a great mentality in that they came into Dominguez wanting to play right away, so they expect this and they want this. So I think right away, we know the importance of these out-of-conference, in-region games, and we'll see what Colorado Mesa is all about on Thursday.

"I think it's going to be exciting."

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2011 Men's Soccer Preview - Something to Prove