Seven Bulldogs earn boys soccer all-league honors

By Joe Naiman

Seven players on Ramona High School’s boys soccer team received all-league recognition from the Palomar League coaches during the coaches’ post-season meeting.

Andy Garcia was selected to the Palomar League’s first team, Jesse Bonilla and Adam Dolan received second-team distinction, and honorable mention accolades were given to Ali Aparicio, Abraham Cabrera, Connor Maruna, and Julio Velasco.

“We’re talking about all-league selection in one of the best leagues in the country,” said Coach Michael Jordan.

Garcia, a junior, played forward for the Bulldogs. His 16 goals and five assists during the 2011-12 season placed him fourth in points among all North County Conference players.

“It was a natural. He scored on every team in the league,” Jordan said of Garcia’s first-team selection. “He’s a player that got marked by players in the league.”

Bonilla, a sophomore goalkeeper, allowed 22 goals in his 10 league games, holding opponents to a single goal in four of those and to two scores in two others. Bonilla also had three non-league solo shutouts and one non-league shared shutout.

“Jesse Bonilla I think was the best goalie in the entire league,” Jordan said.

Dolan, a senior, played midfield, so his defensive work that did not translate into statistics complemented his seven goals and seven assists for the season.

“He has a presence on the field defensively or with the flow of play,” Jordan said.

Aparicio is a junior who played stopper and sweeper, Cabrera is a junior midfielder, Maruna is a senior defender, and Velasco is a senior forward.

Jordan noted that his all-league players consisted of two forwards, two midfielders, two defenders, and a goalkeeper.

“We’re a really well-balanced team,” Jordan said. “Those players allow us to be well-balanced.”

Jordan added that four of his seven all-league players are expected to return for the 2012-13 season.