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Abundant sunshine. High around 100F. Winds light and variable..
Clear skies. Low 66F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: July 9, 2024 @ 3:06 pm
Members of the Summerville High boys soccer team pose for a photo with their Sac-Joaquin Section Division V title banner after defeating the Delhi Hawks Feb. 17 at Cosumnes River College.
The Summerville High boys soccer team listens to the national anthem before their Mother Lode League game against the Amador Buffaloes Jan. 25 in Tuolumne.
(From left) Summerville goalkeeper Owen Herrera, forward Gage Miller and midfielder Rafi Wood celebrate after winning the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V title in a 1-0 win over the Delhi Hawks Feb. 17 at Cosumnes River College.
Members of the Summerville High boys soccer team pose for a photo with their Sac-Joaquin Section Division V title banner after defeating the Delhi Hawks Feb. 17 at Cosumnes River College.
The Summerville High boys soccer team listens to the national anthem before their Mother Lode League game against the Amador Buffaloes Jan. 25 in Tuolumne.
(From left) Summerville goalkeeper Owen Herrera, forward Gage Miller and midfielder Rafi Wood celebrate after winning the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V title in a 1-0 win over the Delhi Hawks Feb. 17 at Cosumnes River College.
Mother Lode League champions. Sac-Joaquin Section champions. Owners of the deepest state playoff run in program history.
The Summerville High School boys soccer team was a cut above the rest this season, cementing themselves as undoubtedly the best boys prep sports team in the region. The Bears’ great successes have earned them the title of 2024 Union Democrat Male Team of the Year.
“Those boys put in such hard work both in (the season) and offseason, throughout their lives and dedicating themselves to this sport,” Bears soccer head coach Zac Garman said. “I think it is a fantastic tribute to the efforts that these boys have made.”
Summerville was the only area team to win a Sac-Joaquin Section title this season, and was one of only two teams to qualify for a section championship contest alongside Summerville tennis.
Plans for a special season began far before the first whistle blew or first goal was netted. The team came together to meticulously map out their season and what they wanted to accomplish far in advance, Garman said.
Things were largely going to plan early on, as the Bears boasted a record of 6-2-1 after a tough preseason schedule, but after a 2-0 loss to rival Sonora in their second league contest, the team had to refocus.
“After that tough loss in the beginning of our league season, we all sat down and had a heart-to-heart about where we wanted to be at the end of the season,” Garman said. “Everyone just buckled down and dedicated themselves.”
The losing ended there.
Summerville didn’t surrender a single goal to a league opponent from that point on, defeating their opponents by a margin of 20-0 over the next eight games.
“We tried to play that selfless game of soccer,” Garman said. “(We tried) to find that balance between when to be selfish and be the talent, and when to give up the ball and be a team player.
“This year, we found that sweet spot between knowing when to hold the ball and knowing when to release and let it go with someone else on the team — that was the difference this year. People became more team players, team-minded and team-focused rather than on their individual accomplishments.”
Their final league win came against Sonora, who they managed to defeat 1-0 to clinch the league title for the first time since 2019.
Seven Summerville players were honored with all-league selections for their efforts, with midfielder Rafael Wood winning Most Valuable Player and fellow midfielder Jake Boyd winning Most Valuable Offensive Player.
Wes Anderson and Gage Miller were First Team All-League selections, while Mason Stokes, Tyler Garman and Owen Herrera were named Second Team All-League.
For many Summerville teams, unseating the reigning league champion Wildcats would have enough glory to last 10 seasons, but not these Bears. Summerville continued to battle into the playoffs, picking up the No. 1 seed in the Division V bracket of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.
They defeated No. 8 Highlands handily, 2-0, before a scare in the semifinals thanks to fellow MLL program Calaveras. Summerville overcame a 2-1 halftime deficit to defeat the Red Hawks 3-2 in Tuolumne and keep their playoff dreams alive.
The Bears collected their section championship banner on a rainy night at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento Feb. 17, after sophomore Bryson Benites blasted in a goal to give his team a 1-0 victory over the Delhi Hawks.
Garman said he and his players still think about that fateful shot, that win and their phenomenal season many months later.
“We get to laugh about and just reflect on how fantastic it was,” Garman said. “The outcomes of the games, how close they were and how just being in the right place at the right time and never giving up made it so we could go the distance.”
Their historic run continued into the state playoffs, where Summerville was the No. 4 seed. The Bears blasted five goals into the net in a shutout win over the No. 5 Gridley Bulldogs before falling in penalty kicks to the top-seeded Stevenson Pirates in the NorCal semifinals.
“There are so many parts of every one of those games that could have gone differently,” Garman said. “We were blessed to do what we did.”
These awards are determined based on historic achievements, postseason success and the on-the-ground perspective of Union Democrat sports reporter Dominic Massimino, who covered upwards of 140 prep sports contests throughout the 2023-24 school year.
Contact Dominic Massimino at dmassimino@uniondemocrat.com or (209) 588-4526. Follow him on Twitter at @DominicUDSports
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