Honkers keep rolling along

Eduardo Paredes scored two goals and Andres Navarro had a goal and an assist Tuesday, as Yuba City High's boys soccer team shut out visiting Inderkum, 4-0.

With the win, the Honkers improve to 11-2 overall and 3-1 in the Tri-County Conference. The Tigers fall to 3-6-2 and 1-2-1.

Going into the contest, Yuba City coach Paul Shank predicted it would be a close match.

“But we got those two quick goals and that snuffed them out,” Shank said.

Paredes scored 10 minutes into the game, taking a perfect cross from Navarro. Less than five minutes later, Navarro scored, after taking a throw-in from Sean Clark.

Navarro dribbled up the field and cut into the middle before rifling his shot on goal. Navarro was wearing one red shoe and one blue shoe when he recorded the goal and the assist from his striker position up top.

In the second half, when he came on in relief at midfield, Navarro switched shoes, wearing white ones with gold on the heels.

“It's a statement,” Shank said of the color change in shoes. “These guys are all playing with a lot of confidence. They know they are good. That can go a long way, but it also can be a little distracting.”

Yuba City didn't score again before intermission, although the Honkers had a couple more scoring opportunities. Benito Sandoval, Carlos Pequeno and Navarro volleyed the ball amongst themselves before Navarro got off a shot that the Inderkum defense just cleared out.

Later, Ben Milner crossed to Navarro, who flicked it to Ryan Wheeler. Wheeler's shot sailed wide.

Yuba City looked like it had a picture-perfect goal early in the second half when Navarro passed up to Osvaldo Garcia, who then cross to Paredes. Paredes scored an apparent goal but it was nullified because of an offsides call.

Finally, 18 minutes in the second half, the Honkers scored their third goal. Garcia dribbled in from the right side, stepped over the Tigers' goalie and then sliced the ball into the left side of the net from an almost impossible angle.

Paredes capped the scoring with a goal in the final two minutes. Slipping behind the Inderkum defense, Paredes charged the Tiger goalie, side-stepped him and stared at an open net before powering the ball home.

Yuba City goalie Nikola Dokic didn't have to do too much, as the Honker defense and midfield controlled the game, not allowing Inderkum many shots on goal. Andres Leuenberger did get off one solid shot that rattled off the crossbar and left post before skipping past the cage.

Shank noted Benito Sandoval and Roberto Paras played solid games at midfield. Paulie Rameriz filled in for the injured Gio Guzman on the outside on defense and had a good game. Sim Dhillon also played well defensively, as did sweeper Jake Dickerson, who was battling illness.

Shank also praised the play of Sean Clark, Milner and Pequeno up top.

The game began with a moment of silence for Jose Alcantar, who died Saturday. Alcantar was a competitive soccer coach who mentored many of Honkers, taking them to the state tournament.

“We are what we are because of what he did,” Shank said of Alcantar.