2011 Wrap-Up
SBCC MEN"S SOCCERBy Dave Loveton, sports information
Monday, Dec. 19, 2011
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Vaqueros take third in state
Santana is WSC Player of the Year
"Finding a way to win" became the mantra for the SBCC men's soccer team as the Vaqueros
didn't lose a game in the final two months of the 2011 campaign. They went 15-0-1
during that span, capped by three playoff wins that propelled them to their first
State Final Four appearance since 1998.
Sophomore defender Roberto Santana was named Player of the Year in the Western State
Conference and John Sisterson was the Coach of the Year. SBCC went 10-1-2 at home
and finished the year with an 18-2-4 record.
The Vaqueros went 12-1-1 to capture their third WSC title in the last four years.
Sisterson was named NSCAA West Region Coach of the Year and Paul Hart was the Assistant
of the Year in the West.
Santa Barbara was unbeaten in nonconference play (3-0-3) for the first time in Sisterson's
five seasons at the helm. They opened WSC action with a 2-1 home loss to Oxnard.
"I remember saying at the time that championships are not won or lost in the first
game," Sisterson recalled. "The boys did very well. We've had some talented teams
here but hadn't been able to get to the Final Four. These guys just kept finding a
way to win. We had some close ones.
"It helps to play at home in the playoffs."
Freshman forward Duran Stanley scored three of his team-high 13 goals in the playoffs
as the third-seeded Vaqueros knocked off L.A. Harbor 2-1, Rio Hondo 3-0 and Golden
West 2-0 in overtime. All the Southern Cal Regional games were at home, where the
Vaqueros are 24-2-3 in their last 29 appearances.
"Defensively we were good," noted Sisterson. "We had two good keepers (Yonha Adrabi
and Tony Mendoza) and the back line was solid. We have the majority of them coming
back.
"We were a hard-working team and we didn't accept defeat. It didn't matter if it
was the first minute or the 90th, we were still going hard."
Jordan Tabor, a talented left-footed sophomore from England, ranked 12th in the state
with 11 goals and 12 assists. Rodrigo Perez added 11 goals for the Vaqueros, who weren't
shut out until the final game of the year when they fell 3-0 to Hartnell in the State
semifinals at Cosumnes River in Sacramento.
Tabor was a first-team all-conference choice, along with Stanley, Perez, Adrabi and
midfielder Nick Littleton. Tabor handled the free kicks, corners and penalty kicks.
He scored a 45-yard free kick in the regular season and a 50-yarder in the playoff
opener.
"Jordan is a very good player, he knows how to pick his spots," said Sisterson. "He's
lethal around the box on free kicks and PKs."
The Vaqueros took a season-high nine-game win streak to the State Final Four at Cosumnes
River in Sacramento. They suffered their first shutout of the season in a 3-0 loss
to Hartnell. It was also the first time they had allowed three goals in a game.
"We just didn't perform," Sisterson explained. "The boys didn't play like they can
and sometimes that happens. They're not machines.
"It's tough to get to the Final Four and it's tough when you get there. Our guys
were disappointed but they learned a life lesson."
2011 WSC Standings
WSC Pts Season
SBCC 12-1-1 37 18-2-4
Oxnard 10-0-4 34 15-2-6
Hancock 6-4-4 22 9-9-4
Canyons 5-5-4 19 7-5-8
L.A. Mission 2-6-6 12 6-9-7
Citrus 3-8-3 12 5-11-5
Glendale 3-10-1 10 4-15-2
Moorpark 2-9-3 9 3-14-3
