Weston Ranch soccer said good-bye and thank you to their Seniors on February 2nd. After a beautiful pregame ceremony, the Cougars took the field and battled Sierra High School to a 1-1 draw. Cougar soccer has a strong tradition. The ten seniors playing for the final time at Weston Ranch were great examples of a proud program.
The Prowl asked head coach Francisco Cisneros to write about his seniors. What follows is Cisneros’s tribute to each of these terrific student-athletes who displayed heart, courage, and joy playing the game each of them loves.
“I’ve been lucky to coach these guys. I want to thank them for their time and effort over the years. We will miss them, but hopefully, I will see them in the stands as I do with so many former players. As a coach, that’s one of my favorite sights, seeing former players come back to watch their Alma Mater play. It speaks volumes of what a great run we’ve been on over the years.”-head coach Francisco Cisneros
4 Jaime Arreola
Great competitor. He has great speed and started at fullback for us this year. I love his leadership and great attitude. The guy is a winner. “Minor set back for a major comeback” was his motto. It came in handy this year. He has been a significant part of our program, and we will miss his fiery personality. Thank you, Jaime, for all you have done for our program. We’ll save my nickname for him for a different time.
7 Aaron Silva
The guy looks like your classic footballer. Aaron has been a big part of our program, starting primarily at the wing. He has pace and can score in bunches. He excites the team before every game with his pregame speeches. He helped the Cougars win a VOL championship his sophomore year. Hopefully, he continues to play at the next level. He definitely has the skills for it, though bodybuilding might be winning over his passion for soccer. Only time will tell. Thank you, Aaron, for four years of dedication.
8 Josemaria Barrera
What a player! Josemaria was gracious enough to help his high school win some crucial games in the league. Though he only played a handful of games, he was able to amass ten assists and six goals. His skill set is off the charts. He currently plays for the Sac Republic, he didn’t need to play high school soccer, yet he wanted to experience playing with all his friends. I hope he enjoyed his experience with us as much as his teammates enjoyed having him on the team. Choche is a humble, hardworking young man, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him playing professionally one day. Thank you, Choche, for all you’ve done for us.
9 Armando Montes
Armando is so silky smooth that he makes the game look easy. But don’t let his quiet personality fool you. He is a terrific competitor and has scored some amazing goals for his team. I can use him in the middle, on defense, or up top. His versatility has been a great asset to our team. I always tell him you only score “bangers,” and it’s true his goals are never average because they’re always highlight reels. Thank you for being such a reliable member of our team. You’re a big reason we sit at 8-1-2 for the season right now. Thank you for the four years of hard work and dedication.
11 Cesar Juarez
This year, Cesar Juarez has done a fantastic job playing center back for us. He helps anchor one of the best defenses in the league. He is a leader and is passionate about soccer and helping his teammates win. He saved his best soccer for his senior year, doing a great job defending and giving great passes to midfield and strikers. He has been one of our captains, and we can always count on his leadership. Thank you, Cesar, for four great years of soccer.
15 Angel Zapata
Angel Zapata has had a fantastic season. He is built like a grown man. He leads the team with 18 goals and 12 assists. As one of our captains, he has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities throughout the season. Angel can score in bunches, and he tied our school record for most goals in a game when he scored four against Central Catholic. He works extremely hard on offense and defense. Angel makes everyone around him better. He is a tough competitor and has been a huge part of our program. Thank you, Angel, for four great years of soccer.
16 Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia brings a great work ethic and attitude to the field every day. He brings a great deal of knowledge and has improved tremendously throughout the years. He is very coachable and understands our tactics and how to implement those tactics. Diego is a great teammate and provided some valuable minutes for us at fullback all season long. His work ethic on the practice field goes unmatched. Diego, thank you for the great years of soccer.
19 Ramon Perez
Ramon came out late to soccer and joined the team last minute. He has a busy work schedule, so we don’t see much of him. When he is present, he likes to have good laughs. He is the first soccer player to drink hot sauce out of a bottle. Why? I have no idea. Thank you, Ramon, for giving soccer a try your senior year. I hope you’ve enjoyed the games and teamwork.
GK Marcos Arriaza
Marcos Arriaza is one of the best goalies in the league. He works extremely hard and is having a fantastic season. He constantly makes outstanding saves and is a big part of our defense. He brings excellent leadership skills to the field. He is dependable, and you can be sure he will make it to the practice field. He had three consecutive clean sheets earlier this season—an intelligent player with great instincts for the game. Marcos, thank you for four great years of soccer.
22 Julian Hernandez
Julian is a terrific winger with pace and great ball control. He was projected to be a starter this year, but unfortunately, he had to miss his entire senior year due to a medical condition. He was a significant part of our team his junior year. Even though he missed his whole senior year, we want to honor him at our senior night. He would have been a big part of our team had he remained healthy, unfortunately sometimes emergencies out of our control happen. Thank you, Julian, for being an essential part of our program.
