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Saratoga soccer ... back in title contention
By Dick Sparrer
What a difference a year makes ... and also a division. And no one knows that better than Saratoga boys soccer coach Joe Guttadauro.
Two years ago, the Guttadauro guided the Falcons to a championship in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. But last year the Falcons moved up to the De Anza Division and finished last in the standings.
So it's back to El Camino action this winter for the Falcons, and Guttadauro figures his squad will contend for the championship once again.
"We dropped down to the El Camino Division," said the coach, whose club was 2-10 in De Anza play last season. "That, combined with a heavy senior team, will have us fighting for a league title and a [Central Coast Section] playoff berth."
Guttadauro sees Saratoga battling it out with Cupertino and Lynbrook for the El Camino crown. And leading the way will be seniors A.J. Weitsman and Anthony Lin.
"They are definitely next-level players," said Guttadauro of the two senior stars. "Both could be league top scorers, league MVPs or potential all-CCS players."
Weitsman, at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, is a powerful forward with a strong leg. He was the place-kicker for the Saratoga football team, and consistently drilled kick offs into the end zone. He finished the year with a 48-yard field goal in a win over Gunderson.
Lin, a 5-foot-7 and 150-pounder, joins Weitsman as a three-year varsity player and a top prospect.
Seniors Alan Sung and Derrick Wong are midfielders, and each returns for a third varsity season, and senior Trevor Adams is a defender back for his third varsity campaign.
Junior defender Kenny Keast and sophomore midfielder Daniel Vajdic are other varsity returners along with senior goalkeeper Ari Bencuya, senior midfielder Nolan Gaudreau, junior forward Scott Elfving and junior midfielder Mark Weiner.
Newcomers expected to help the varsity this winter are senior defender Adam Judelson and juniors Jason Mueller (defender), Sam Quicke (midfielder), Matt Weidert (midfielder) and Maziar Hemati (forward).
The Falcons, who opened the year with a tough 1-0 loss to Washington of Fremont and then fell 7-0 to Bellarmine, pulled to 3-2 for the year last week with a 4-0 win over rival Los Gatos in a non-league game.
Weitsman, Lin, Hemati and senior forward Tim Chapman all scored goals in the win over the Wildcats. Gaudreau had a couple of assists for the Falcons and Weidert, Adams and senior midfielder Brad Seago added an assist each.
Saratoga's first win of the year came in the Homestead Christmas Cup Tournament when the Falcons outlasted Fremont 4-2. Sung buried three goals to lead Saratoga to the win, and Weiner also scored. Elfving, Lin, Chapman and Wong all had assists in the win.
Leigh evened its record at 2-2 and improved to 2-2 in the Christmas Cup tourney with a 2-0 win over Leigh. Weitsman scored both goals for the Falcons, one off an assist from Weidert.
Saratoga will open El Camino Division play this week. The Falcons host Milpitas Dec. 11, 3:30 p.m., before visiting Cupertino for a 7 p.m. game on Dec. 13.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
