If it didn’t feel real already, now there’s video evidence.
Just in time for the Centralia College men’s soccer program’s exhibition matchup against Evergreen, coach Noel Vazquez and his staff got ahold of a video camera, and rigged it in place, high above Bob Peters Field.
Then on Tuesday, his Trailblazers gave it something to film.
“We finally got our camera working, so we’ve got film now,” Vazquez said.
Photos: The Centralia College men's soccer team got its first dose of action Tuesday, falling to Evergreen 2-0. Story on the way pic.twitter.com/wCHK4N9g99
— Josh Kirshenbaum (@J_Kirshenbaum) August 15, 2023
After two weeks of scrimmaging against each other, the Blazers finally got to suit up as a team and face someone in a different-colored jersey, hosting the NAIA Geoducks in a 60-minute scrimmage that capped a womens/mens doubleheader.
Evergreen, a four-year school that therefore brought starters a year or two older than CC, won the men’s game 2-0 after its women’s team beat the CC women 2-1 in the first scrimmage. But for Vazquez, any tape to analyze is good tape.
“Finally visualizing what we can work on, it was definitely really rewarding, and very exciting,” he said.
Straight out of the opening kickoff, Evergreen seized control of the proceedings, carving its way through the Centralia back line and firing a shot that beat keeper Victor Rojas but went just wide within the first 30 seconds.
“I think the boys were nervous,” Vazquez said. “When we got here early in the morning to watch the (women’s game) they were all huddling, like ‘I couldn’t sleep last night, I’m excited for today.’”
The close shave seemed to wake the Blazers up, though, and the hosts took control for the better part of the next 10 minutes, with Toledo alum David Etheridge jumping on a loose ball just outside the 18-yard box and firing a shot just over the crossbar in CC’s first real chance of the game.
It would be another Toledo product who broke the deadlock, but one wearing white and green, when Andreas Malunat dribbled past multiple defenders and slotted a low shot into the net to give the Geoducks a 1-0 lead.
Evergreen doubled the lead in the second 30-minute half, scoring with eight minutes to go in the hour-long affair.
Rojas made six saves on the day. CC came away with one shot on target, when W.F. West alum Saul Lima Perez forced a turnover at the back and snapped off an attempt from a tough angle that was saved.
“I think that a lot of the issues we’re having now are just staying fit, making sure that we understand the roles in our formation, and understanding what everybody has to do when they’re in the game to make sure we accomplish our team goals,” Vazquez said.
CC will get its real match Friday morning, when it hosts Everett. After that, the Blazers will get two matchups at the NWAC Friendlies in Tukwila, before playing its first conference matchup Sept. 6.
“Eventually, when the season starts, hopefully we’re finding our stride and we can make things happen,” Vazquez said.
