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Jordan expects strong boys soccer program

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Ramona High School’s boys soccer team will start the season with 21 players on the varsity roster, including 10 who were on the 2008-09 varsity.

“I think that all three levels will be much improved this year,” Ramona varsity head coach Michael Jordan said after finalizing Ramona’s varsity and junior varsity rosters and creating the nucleus of a freshman team.

Ramona lost 10 seniors from the 2008-09 team, including four of the Bulldogs’ six all-league players. The two returning all-league players, Chris Huber and Michael Quilo, were also the team’s two leading scorers last season.

“That’s a nice little foundation for the offense to be able to have those two guys come back,” Jordan said.

Ramona’s boys soccer program also loses 2008-09 junior varsity coach Tom Charbonneau, who replaces George Garcia as the girls varsity head coach. Mike Diaz will be both Jordan’s varsity assistant coach and the JV head coach.

“I’ve asked Mike to do more this year,” Jordan said. “It will be a busy season for him, but I know that he’s up to the challenge.”

That will also create an additional load for Jordan. “It’s going to be a lot more hands-on for me,” he said.

Cesar Rodriguez takes over as Ramona’s freshman coach. Rodriguez is an on-campus coach.

“He’s still doing some recruiting,” Jordan said.

Although 18 freshmen boys tried out for the Bulldogs, two of those earned positions on the varsity roster while four others were assigned to the JV level, leaving the freshman team with 12 players following the completion of the varsity and JV rosters.

In addition to the two freshman, the varsity roster has four sophomores, four juniors, and 11 seniors.

“It’s a very old team,” Jordan said.

“It was a tough choice keeping sophomores and freshmen on varsity,” Jordan said. “Those are players we think have a legitimate chance of starting.”

The junior varsity roster also has 21 players. Approximately 80 boys tried out for Ramona’s soccer program.

“I’ve never had that many in either the boys or the girls before, so that was fantastic,” said Jordan, who coached Ramona’s girls prior and took over the boys program last season. “We had the unfortunate task of making cuts at all levels except for the freshmen.”

The 10 returning varsity players are familiar with how high school soccer is played at the varsity level. Jordan notes additional advantages of their experience. “It helps to know my expectation,” he said. “It helps to bridge the gap for the new kids coming in.”

Tryouts began Nov. 14 and also covered Nov. 16-19 before the Bulldogs held their first practice Nov. 20.

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