The Malibu AYSO BU12A All-Star squad rang up a lot points en route to claiming an Area 10E All-Star Tournament crown in late January.
The group of 11- and 12-year-old boys scored nine goals in three games and averaged seven points per contest. Oh, there was also the ridiculously awesome score one of the boys made from half field to start an elimination game.
In total, the soccer bunch scored 51 goals during the two-weekend event, due to a combination of unselfish play and quick-footedness, said Alan White, the team’s coach.
“We had a really strong passing game,” he said. “We had pretty aggressive formations — very much offensive formations — and speed. The boys were always first to the ball, and their instinct is to pass to their teammates. That makes for great soccer.”
The scoring led the way to an area championship that escaped the all-star band in the U10 division, where they lost in the semifinals. Malibu beat a Thousand Oaks team 4-2 for the U12 title.
White said finishing in first place was redemption.
“From day one of practice, they were focused on showing the other teams over the hill that we want it just as bad as they want it,” White said of the BU12A All-Stars. “The boys were focused on that goal. The area all-star tournament — for a Malibu team to win is the Holy Grail. Winning it is a really great feeling.”
Now, the group is one of three teams from Malibu competing in the AYSO’s Bakersfield All-Star Sectional Tournament this weekend. The BU14A All-Stars and the BU14B All-Stars are also participating in the event. Winners from the sectional tournament will go to the March 3-5 Western State Championships.
White said his contingent is ready for the competition.
“We’ve practiced hard,” he said. “Coming off the area win I wondered about the boys’ intensity, and that was answered the very first practice. Practices have been fun. The boys have continued to train hard.”
Malibu registered wins over clubs from Agoura, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark and Newbury Park during the area clash.
One of the highlights of the BU12A All-Stars’ 51-goal affair was a score by Ton Ton Drobny. White said Ton Ton’s goal was off a free kick from the halfway in the opening seconds of a semifinal match.
“The power, the accuracy and the perfect placement of his shot — just above the goalie’s fingertips — was really incredible to watch,” he said. “The whole team was lifted after that shot. It was a great start to our day.”
Striker Cameron Swist led the club in scoring during the area tournament. White said the scorer probably averaged around three goals per game. Other top scorers included Dante Santangelo, Finn Moder, Elijah Clayton, Luis Berg and Billy White, Coach White’s son.
The elder White has coached most of the BU12A All-Stars for several years. He said the group’s scoring sometimes negatively affected their defensive, but it was worth it at times.
“Most 12-year-old boys don’t want to pass the ball, but they did,” White said of the Malibu all-stars. “They truly played as a team.”
The coach said Malibu’s defensive stalwarts included Drobny, Nova Mostafavi, Leo Alexander and Jared Chavez.
“Goalies Trevor Nickerson and Luis Berg kept possession and created goals with length-of-field plays into very strong winds,” White said.
Malibu played the last three games of the series with no substitutions due to two players being injured. Opposing squads had at least three subs, but White said the BU12A All-Stars showed they have a strong group.
“You can rest one player and know another one is going to step up,” he said.