By Dan Truttschel
Sports Correspondent
Talk about your strong opening statements.
For the first time in school history Monday night, the Big Foot-Williams Bay boys soccer team defeated Delavan-Darien to get its 2013 season off to a perfect start.
Big Foot’s Christian Munoz scored the game’s only goal at the 11-minute mark off an assist by Danny Cisneros, and the Chiefs made that stand in a 1-0 non-conference victory.
Goalie Nicolas Tovar recorded 12 saves in the win.
“Obviously, this was an important win for our program,” Big Foot coach Keith Blakeman said. “It was a team win that demonstrates the commitment of this group of players.”
Blakeman said a victory over a well-respected program like Delavan could go a long way for his team as the season rolls along.
“It’s important and gives us confidence going forward,” he said. “It could help us if we see them again in the post-season.
“When all is said and done, however, we are focused on our conference schedule.”
Blakeman lauded the play of several Chiefs in the win, including Payson Partridge and Nate Freytag on defense, Alberto Huerta and Brian Wolski in the midfield, Munoz and Tovar.
The Chiefs were back in action Tuesday afternoon against visiting Edgerton. Results were unavailable by press time. Big Foot is idle until next Tuesday, Sept. 3, when it hosts Evansville.
Counting on experience
Blakeman said he will rely heavily on the team’s 11 seniors and 15 total returning players in 2013.
“They know how to win and they know how to get through a long and tough season,” he said.
Seniors on the roster are Partridge, Noah Matson, Javier Castaneda, Wolski, Huerta, Freytag, Danny Hourigan, Servando Perez, Peter Briggs, Matt Watters and Ricardo Ibarra. Partridge and Watters will serve as co-captains.
As captains, both will have key roles all season, Blakeman said.
“I expect them to demonstrate what it means to play Big Foot soccer,” he said. “It’s their team, and they need to invest themselves if they want to succeed.
“These leaders give us the strength to fight through games when everything is not going our way.”
Joining that group are juniors Oscar Sanchez, Octavio Hernandez, Omar Ocampo, Munoz, Diego Lavariega, Cisneros and Tovar; sophomore Luke Bourneuf; and freshmen Hamilton Smith and Ludovic Resendiz.
Looking at the Rock Valley Conference, Blakeman said it’s too early to pick a favorite, but it appears that Whitewater, McFarland and defending champion Evansville should be in the mix.
What does he hope for from the Chiefs? To hang a banner in the gym.
“Our primary goal is to bring home the first conference championship since 1995,” he said. “The players have also set a goal of being regional champs this season.”
