2014 PCC Preview: Midfield Talent Key to Men’s Soccer

After reaching the postseason for the first time in four seasons last year, Pasadena City College men’s soccer head coach Edgar Manvelyan knows it will be a tougher task in 2014. The Lancers lost their best three scoring forwards to graduation as well as South Coast Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year and No. 1 goalie Gaetano Perez.

“We went from a team that had tremendous team speed and scoring ability at forward to one this year that will involve utilizing our deep group of midfielders,” Manvelyan said. “I feel we have enough on defense to keep us strong. But it’s our midfielders that will carry the play if we want to come back to the playoffs.”

PCC returns only All-SCC defender George Barba and forward Luis Ramirez from last year and is aided by the return of 2012 All-SCC midfielder Victor Menchaca and fellow ’12 letterman midfielder Edgar Menendez. The only other sophomores on the roster are transfer midfielder/forward Briley Venti, a product of La Salle High who played last year at NAIA Marymount California University, and defender Shawhin Berenji, who last played at Cal State Northridge back in 2010 after playing as a Delphic League MVP at Village Christian High.

Eighteen freshmen make up the rest of PCC’s roster. Starters for the beginning of the season include midfielders Xavier Izquieta (Bishop Alemany High), Eric Benitez (Los Angeles Wilson), and Brandon Gerlach (Burbank Burroughs). Frosh starting forwards are highlighted by Kevin Geddes, an All-San Gabriel Valley Area scoring talent at first Maranatha who moved on to play at Cathedral High his senior season, and Christopher Sinani (Crescenta Valley High). Another first-year playing starter is defender David Abeyta (Long Beach Jordan).

Replacing Perez is PCC’s goalie tandem of newcomers in David Orellana (Chavez High) and Alan Lopez (Duarte).

Other freshmen are midfielders Christian Palacios (Northview), Ivan Ponce (Franklin), Arnulfo Escandon (Muir), Diego Gonzalez (Marshall Fundamental), Lukeba Massamba (Blair), forwards Milosh Petko (Burroughs), Abel Cadena (Bell Gardens), and defenders Oscar Hernandez (Montebello) and twins Jesse and Richard Hernandez (Northview).

The Lancers opened the ’14 season losing to Los Angeles Mission, 4-2, on Wednesday at Robinson Stadium. PCC rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits before Mission’s Ericson Penate completed a hat trick with a 32-yard drive in the 82nd minute and his second penalty kick goal two minutes later.

PCC reached the board when Benitez led Menchaca on a pass that resulted in a 17-yard sideline blast in the 24th minute. Trailing 2-1, the Lancers tied it in the 53rd minute as Menchaca threaded a pass to a wide-open Geddes, who used his left foot to guide in a rolling shot in the far corner.