Oxnard reaches rarefied air with state final appearance

By Joe Curley of the Ventura County Star

REDWOOD CITY — Oxnard College men's soccer players and staff fittingly found themselves with their heads in the clouds Saturday afternoon.

On the precipice of the first state championship in school history, the Condors completed their final practice of their season at Cañada College, high above San Mateo County with the Santa Cruz Mountains as a backdrop.

"It was a very unique moment," Oxnard coach Ross Greaney said. "We were kind of on a mountain.

"It was fitting place to end our season. We've never played a game in December before (this week). We've never even practiced in December before."

Oxnard (18-4-3) faces Evergreen Valley (18-3-3) on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 in the CCCAA state championship game at DeAnza College in Cupertino.

Oxnard College will host a free watch party for the public at its performing arts center.

"We got done what we needed to get done," Greaney said after the final training session. "I had some questions that we needed to answer and I feel better after the practice. The guys got to sweat a little bit and hopefully that'll keep them sharp for (Sunday)."

Oxnard edged Lake Tahoe, 1-0, in Friday's state semifinal as sophomore Fernando Hernandez Puga set up freshman Damian Lopez for the lone goal in the 60th minute.

The Condors' run to the final represents the deepest postseason run by a men's soccer team in Ventura County history and the deepest run by any county soccer team since Moorpark College women's soccer won the state championship in 1991.

Greaney, a St. Bonaventure High product, has spent the last decade using local talent to build Oxnard into a state power.

In the 13 years from 1993 to 2005, Oxnard managed just one winning season. Greaney was an assistant coach on the 2002 team, which made a rare postseason appearance during an 8-7-6 campaign.

With Greaney as head coach, the Condors have reached the postseason nine straight years, building toward their first state Final Four appearance this week.

"We've had a lot of good teams and they all probably deserved to be here," Greaney said. "But it's such a crapshoot when you get into the playoffs. Just about anything can happen and just about anything has happened.

"I just want to be able to help the guys to give their best in the final. So, no matter what happens, they can know they did their best."

Goalkeeper Eduardo Garcia, who is second in the state with nine shutouts, has allowed just one goal from open play in 6½ hours of postseason play.

Oxnard is also 10th in the state with 54 goals, led by the likes of Gustavo Navarro (12 goals, four assists), Joe Hernandez (10 goals, assist), Fernando Hernandez Puga (eight goals, five assists) and Jorge Jimenez (five goals, five assists).

"It took some time, but they've all grown up and they've grown together more and more," Greaney said. "The stuff we've gone through has helped us weather some of the storms that have come our way in the playoffs."

Providing the final hurdle is an Evergreen Valley attack that is second in the state with 68 goals, led by 6-foot-4 striker Salifu Jatta (16 goals, five assists).

"I like the way Evergreen plays," Greaney said. "They play similar to us. It's going to be much more of classic soccer game. So it'll be more about who plays well than about who subs more."

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