Raiders on a mission
Luka Peso and the Holy Cross Raiders boys soccer team are on a mission.
“Our team is more motivated than ever,” Peso said, after the Raiders defeated the Denis Morris Reds 5-0 Tuesday in Niagara Catholic Athletic Association play at Brock University. “We are trying to get through the season as quick as possible and focus on the road ahead.”
The Grade 12 student would like to end his four-year high school soccer career on a high.
“It’s maybe not pressure, but I really want it more than anything,” the 18-year-old said.
Holy Cross has made it to the Ontario Federation of Secondary Schools Association’s AA quarter-finals the last two years. In 2017, the Raiders lost on penalty kicks and in 2018, their goalie was injured before the quarter-finals.
Those losses are fuelling the team this season.
“We had a good team last year and we kept most of our players,” Peso said. “We are really dedicated and we are hungry for it.”
With Tuesday’s victory, the Raiders improved to 5-0 in NCAA league play and 14-1 overall. Included in their season to date is going 5-0 to win the McMaster Champions League tournament and posting a 4-1 record in the Niagara Cup, losing 1-0 in the final to St. Jean de Brebeuf.
“That one still stings,” Ferretti said. “Our goal, year in and year out for the last few years is quite high. We want to go to OFSAA.
“That’s the present and that’s the goal for these kids.”
Peso has a simple reason for the team’s success the last few years.
“It’s our dedication,” he said. “And we play so quick and well on the ball that we usually catch teams off-guard.”
The centre midfielder is a big part of the Raiders’ success.
“Luka holds everything in the midfield,” Ferretti said. “He’s very strong, very smart and he has one of the highest soccer IQs I have seen in a long time.”
In addition to smarts, Peso has plenty of soccer skills.
“He controls things and can deliver the pass in the air and on the ground,” Ferretti said. “He has a good shot and he should use it more.”
Ferretti liked how his squad played Tuesday.
“We had good structure and a lot of patience,” he said. “With this team’s soccer IQ, we can score quick, we can score slow.”
The message Ferretti has delivered to his squad all season is to be patient.
“A lot of teams are moving back and playing defensive and we have to break them down,” he said. “If they break down, we can quick strike.”
A short-staffed Reds squad was in tough against the Raiders and was limited to two or three good chances. Unfortunately, Denis Morris missed the net on those opportunities.
“It was a tough game,” DM assistant coach Giancarlo Ottaviano. “We were a little bit light on bodies today. We had one sub and three or four key players were out.”
Before the game, the Reds’ coaches told their players there would be a lot of players at new positions.
“Playing against a good team like this, you are going to get exposed,” he said. “It was going to happen and all we asked is that they play hard right to the end.
“Coach (Antony) Volante, who wasn’t here today, would have been proud of these guys. Unfortunately, we didn’t come away with a win but Holy Cross is a fantastic soccer team.”
That was evident Tuesday in the way they played.
“They move the ball very well and they’re calm and collected,” Ottaviano said.
STATS PACK
Raiders 5 Reds 0
Mick and Angelo’s/Johnny Rocco’s Player of the Game: Holy Cross’ Luka Peso with a strong game in the midfield.
For the Holy Cross Raiders: Goals by Robert McMillan (2), Sebastian Agudo, Benjamin Byoko and Moises Julio.
For the Denis Morris Reds: No scoring.
