Second half goals lift Hollister boys soccer over North Salinas

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Behind goals by Anthony Torres and Adrian Valdez, the Hollister boys soccer team defeated North Salinas 2-0 on Jan. 8. It was the Balers second win in as many league games.

Torres gave the Balers the lead in the 25th minute of the second half. Off a corner kick, he headed it over the North Salinas diving goalie and a defender that was near the goal line. 

“It’s just been a real strong point for us getting good crosses in,” coach Greg Bloom said. “I think that’s our fifth goal from a corner kick.” 

Valdez doubled the Balers’ lead eight minutes later off a penalty. Torres caused the penalty when he made a run to the ball that was crossed from the right side. As he attempted to kick the ball near the penalty spot, a North Salinas defender kicked him from behind, causing Torres to miss the ball and fall to the ground. 

“I thought we controlled the game from start to finish,” Bloom said.

Though goal scorers tend to get most of the credit in a win, it was Baler goalie Amado Canela who earned the embrace of his teammates after the final whistle because in the 15th minute of the second half, he saved a penalty shot—diving to his left. His defense was able to clear the rebound and keep the game scoreless.

“I like to talk,” Canela said. “I get in their head and that’s what I did.” 

Canela didn’t have a lot of work throughout the game, as most of the Vikings’ shots were off target. His only other save was a play that led to the penalty in which a long-range shot was on its way to clear him. Canela backpedaled toward his goal and as the ball approached him he jumped and put his hands up to prevent the ball from crossing the goal line. 

The defense could not clear the rebound and an attempt to recenter the ball hit a defender in the hand.

Canela “came up big and that really swung it for us,” Bloom said about the penalty save. He said he was very happy with the goalie position, which he plans to rotate between Canela and Yair Arias.

North Salinas attempted a few long-range shots that soared over the crossbar. The Vikings also had a free kick just outside the penalty box near the end of the game that went wide right. 

Hollister created most of its scoring opportunities off set pieces.

In the first half, forward Daniel Partrea kicked a ball over the crossbar after it was centered following a few rebounds off a corner kick. He later had another opportunity, again off a corner kick, but his header attempt also went over the crossbar. 

“The first half was very tight,” forward Valdez said. “We fought hard. We had to work for it because North Salinas is very good.”

Partrea had one more scoring opportunity in the third minute of the second half but his shot hit the right post.

The Balers continued to use plays in set pieces to look for the opening goal, but the shots and headers were off target.

Bloom said the team started the league play better than he expected, considering its 0-2 start from last year.

“It gives us a lot of confidence that we can close out games and create chances,” he said. 

Hollister has an overall record of 5-4-1. They play host to Monterey High School on Jan. 14.

BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.