Alameda Boys U14 Soccer Game Results

By John Eichel

Assigned to play its first-ever State Cup seeding game on a hot day on hostile turf, Alameda's U14 Select Boys team responded with a strong statement. On Sept. 18 at East Bay United-Bay Oaks’ home field in West Oakland, Alameda powered to a two-goal, first-half lead that it refused to relinquish during a dominant 3-1 win over the East Bay United-Bay Oaks Gunners.

Alameda’s defense — anchored again by a stubborn back line that included Michael Woodworth, Wesley Cheung, Carl Penney, Cameron Putterman, Kenyon Ebert and Osmar Vasquez (who worked well with goalkeepers Markus Gilbert and Ivan Garcia) — ran its consecutive scoreless streak to seven-plus halves (over 245 minutes) before surrendering its first goal of the season on a penalty kick in the second half.  

Meanwhile, Alameda striker Prawat Somwongsa netted two first-half goals for Alameda on assists by Cameron Burns and Osmar Vazquez, and fellow striker Jano Heljo scored a second-half goal on a penalty kick. Besides making an excellent point-blank save as goalkeeper in the second half, Alameda’s Ivan Garcia played effectively at striker in the first half.

One day earlier, despite moving many players from their normal positions and sitting its most productive scorers for extended periods from the start, Alameda's U14 Select Boys team still overwhelmed an outmatched Albany-Berkeley Select squad 12-0 in Berkeley on Sept. 17.

That improved Alameda’s NorCal Premier League record to 3-0 and boosted its league-leading Goals For/Goals Against ratio to 22/0. This game was tailor-made for trying different combinations and evaluating players — eight different players scored goals, and 10 had either a goal or an assist.

Newcomers (and cousins) Osmar and Saul Vazquez made a solid first impression — Osmar assisted on the first goal of the game (by Prawat Somwongsa) with a strong throw-in, and scored one of the game’s prettiest goals, lifting the ball over the Albany-Berkeley goalkeeper on a one-on-one breakaway.

Saul persevered to join his cousin in the scoring column, netting the first goal of the second half after several near-misses in the first half.