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Bellaire coach not kicking about his veteran squad
By MIKE TENNEY
For the longest time, Bellaire boys head soccer coach Ray Kanzig didn’t have to worry too much about his team making the Region III playoffs.
“It was pretty much us, Lamar and Lee in our district every year,” said Kanzig. “The only question was who would finish (first)? Who would finish (second)? And who would finish (third)?”
But the times have changed with four teams making the playoffs, and the Cardinals failing to be one of them for the past two years.
“Last year, we had district co-champions, and we had two teams tie for third place and those were the four teams that made it,” said Kanzig. “We finished fifth, but we were just two points shy of finishing fourth, and I look at that and think ‘just one more goal, or one more stop where we don’t allow a goal and it’s all different.’”
The opening of Westside eight years ago gave Houston ISD another soccer power, and now Milby and Madison are both solid. That means the Cardinals will have to fight its way through this current playoff drought.
“Our district is just very good,” said Kanzig. “Milby’s capable of beating anyone. Madison has come on in recent years. You’ve just got, in my mind, this super district when it comes to our district. There are no easy games, and you’ve got to take them one at a time.”
The Cardinals have 20 returning players and seven returning starters back from the squad that came up just short of the postseason last year. That includes senior sweeper Travis Hughes, whose importance can be measured in what happened after he missed the last five weeks of last season with an injury.
“We were either in first place or right there when Travis went down last year,” said Kanzig. “The fact that he missed as much time as he did and was still an all-district player says all you need to know about his ability.’
Senior goalkeeper Alex Lazaris, senior stopper Edgar Leal, junior center midfielder Ben Ribe, senior center mid Ari Loes, sophomore left midfielder Luis Contreras and junior forward Mario Diaz are the other Bellaire starters returning this year.
“We do feel good about our experience,” said Kanzig. “A couple of years ago I had a mostly senior team, but we had some injuries and lost those players. So I turned it over to a group of sophomores, and now those guys are seniors and a lot of them have been with us for two years. So, I’m looking for us to break out this year and even though it will be tough, make the playoffs.”
Senior Issac Owen and sophomore Brian Gustafson at left defender; senior twins Ben Dennard and Marc Dennard, along with sophomore Scott Delhommer at right defender with juniors Jake Lane and Ezequid Garcia at right midfielder will all be getting a lot of playing time at those spots.
“I have a lot of seniors and a few juniors and a few sophomores and what I really try to do is make sure I’ve got at least 17 or 18 or maybe 20 guys that are always ready to go,” said Kanzig. “You’ve got to have that depth. We play 20 games in about 10 weeks, so you’ve got to be ready for injuries. We play outside in the wet months of January and February. I’ve always got at least two or three kids practically playing with walking pneumonia, so we always try to make sure we have a lot more guys ready to play than just the 11 that start the game.”
Forwards Angel Moreno and Imhotep Edwards, along with center midfielder Alex Loes, are other key reserves that Kanzig says are difference makers.
The Cardinals had their first and only scrimmage Saturday morning at Cy-Ridge, taking on Reagan, Eisenhower and Cy-Ridge in a trio of 40-minute practice games. The Cardinals did not give up a goal in those mini-games and defeated Eisenhower 1-0 on a Ben Ribe goal.
“I was very pleased with our scrimmages,” said Kanzig. “I thought for a first time to go against somebody besides ourselves, our defense did a great job. We didn’t give up a goal all day long, so that was a positive. I thought we played three good teams. We had some offensive chances we didn’t finish, so that was a little discouraging, but I think as the season goes along we will finish those opportunities.”
He said he wants to see his team simply show improvement as the season opens Friday evening in the Montgomery ISD tournament.
“I want to see that we’re coming together and that we’re getting better,” Kanzig said. “That’s what we talk about every day. We want to just keep getting a little better every day and a little better every time we take the field. If we’re doing that, I think we have a chance to have a good season.”
“It was pretty much us, Lamar and Lee in our district every year,” said Kanzig. “The only question was who would finish (first)? Who would finish (second)? And who would finish (third)?”
But the times have changed with four teams making the playoffs, and the Cardinals failing to be one of them for the past two years.
“Last year, we had district co-champions, and we had two teams tie for third place and those were the four teams that made it,” said Kanzig. “We finished fifth, but we were just two points shy of finishing fourth, and I look at that and think ‘just one more goal, or one more stop where we don’t allow a goal and it’s all different.’”
The opening of Westside eight years ago gave Houston ISD another soccer power, and now Milby and Madison are both solid. That means the Cardinals will have to fight its way through this current playoff drought.
“Our district is just very good,” said Kanzig. “Milby’s capable of beating anyone. Madison has come on in recent years. You’ve just got, in my mind, this super district when it comes to our district. There are no easy games, and you’ve got to take them one at a time.”
The Cardinals have 20 returning players and seven returning starters back from the squad that came up just short of the postseason last year. That includes senior sweeper Travis Hughes, whose importance can be measured in what happened after he missed the last five weeks of last season with an injury.
“We were either in first place or right there when Travis went down last year,” said Kanzig. “The fact that he missed as much time as he did and was still an all-district player says all you need to know about his ability.’
Senior goalkeeper Alex Lazaris, senior stopper Edgar Leal, junior center midfielder Ben Ribe, senior center mid Ari Loes, sophomore left midfielder Luis Contreras and junior forward Mario Diaz are the other Bellaire starters returning this year.
“We do feel good about our experience,” said Kanzig. “A couple of years ago I had a mostly senior team, but we had some injuries and lost those players. So I turned it over to a group of sophomores, and now those guys are seniors and a lot of them have been with us for two years. So, I’m looking for us to break out this year and even though it will be tough, make the playoffs.”
Senior Issac Owen and sophomore Brian Gustafson at left defender; senior twins Ben Dennard and Marc Dennard, along with sophomore Scott Delhommer at right defender with juniors Jake Lane and Ezequid Garcia at right midfielder will all be getting a lot of playing time at those spots.
“I have a lot of seniors and a few juniors and a few sophomores and what I really try to do is make sure I’ve got at least 17 or 18 or maybe 20 guys that are always ready to go,” said Kanzig. “You’ve got to have that depth. We play 20 games in about 10 weeks, so you’ve got to be ready for injuries. We play outside in the wet months of January and February. I’ve always got at least two or three kids practically playing with walking pneumonia, so we always try to make sure we have a lot more guys ready to play than just the 11 that start the game.”
Forwards Angel Moreno and Imhotep Edwards, along with center midfielder Alex Loes, are other key reserves that Kanzig says are difference makers.
The Cardinals had their first and only scrimmage Saturday morning at Cy-Ridge, taking on Reagan, Eisenhower and Cy-Ridge in a trio of 40-minute practice games. The Cardinals did not give up a goal in those mini-games and defeated Eisenhower 1-0 on a Ben Ribe goal.
“I was very pleased with our scrimmages,” said Kanzig. “I thought for a first time to go against somebody besides ourselves, our defense did a great job. We didn’t give up a goal all day long, so that was a positive. I thought we played three good teams. We had some offensive chances we didn’t finish, so that was a little discouraging, but I think as the season goes along we will finish those opportunities.”
He said he wants to see his team simply show improvement as the season opens Friday evening in the Montgomery ISD tournament.
“I want to see that we’re coming together and that we’re getting better,” Kanzig said. “That’s what we talk about every day. We want to just keep getting a little better every day and a little better every time we take the field. If we’re doing that, I think we have a chance to have a good season.”
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