By Mike Blake
The Kern Valley Broncs soccer team was scheduled to play two games last week – February 6 vs. Bishop and February 8 at Frazier Mountain – but both games were cancelled. That ended the Broncs’ High Desert League season with a 6-9 overall record and sixth-place finish at 6-8 in the HDL. Bishop Union took the HDL title with an 11-0-1 mark, followed by Mammoth at 11-3-1, Frazier Mountain at 9-3, Cal City at 9-4-1 and Rosamond at 9-5-1. KV topped Mojave (4-12), Desert (1-12) and Boron (0-13) in the HDL standings.
KV soccer coach Wil Cerda said the end record was not indicative of the boys’ effort, desire and solid play. “The boys never quit and played tough all year,” Coach Cerda said. “A few games got away from us, but the boys always gave themselves a fighting chance through their grit and determination. They left it all on the field and they will be stronger next year because of that.”
Leading the Broncs on the score sheet this season was sophomore Tristan Beckham, who scored 11 goals. He was followed by senior Colin Clark with seven, senior Jack Montgomery with five and senior Wyatt Johnstone with four as nine players put shots into the net and the team was credited with 32 goals and allowed 48. Beckham took 35 shots, Montgomery had 23 and Johnstone finished with 14. Assisting on the scores, 10 Broncs aided the scoring plays. Montgomery paced the Broncs with nine assists, and Clark and junior John Beam each had four helpers. During the season, the Broncs scored 34 goals and allowed 48.
On the defensive side, Montgomery led the squad with 125 steals, senior Victor Fregoso was credited with 110 takeaways and Beckham amassed 109. In all, 22 Broncs combined for 880 steals.
In goal, sophomore Jackson Weghorst had the team’s only shut out and junior Ira Baker had a team-leading 58 saves.
