Edgar Venalonso was living close to the Flowing Wells school district less than a decade ago when he decided to put a team together.
He started with fifth- and sixth-graders.
“It’s an equipo de barrio, like we say,” Venalonso said. “A neighborhood team where all the athletes belonged to the same school or same district. It’s a great group of kids.”
A couple of years later, he was presented with the opportunity to coach junior varsity at Flowing Wells High School. Then he moved up to the varsity program.
Now, Venalonso is coaching the same boys through an unlikely run in the state soccer playoffs. The 13th-seeded Caballeros upset No. 4 Cienega 2-0 in Wednesday’s first round. They’ll travel to No. 5 Scottsdale Chaparral today, with the winner advancing tho to the Class 5A state semifinals.
“Coach Edgar was actually my first soccer coach,” said Flowing Wells senior Jose Diaz, who started playing in sixth grade. “And I think it’s great that my first coach is going to be my last high school coach.”
Because the team includes plenty of athletes from Venalonso’s first team, the coach and players have uncommon chemistry.
That same mentality is what led to the upset at Cienega.
Five minutes into the game, Diaz shot from the left wing. The Cienega goalkeeper tried to make the save, but could only tip the ball on its way into the net. Like that, the Cabs led 1-0.
“Our coach told us as soon as you start to run, give 100 percent,” Diaz, a four-year varsity player, said. “As soon as I started, I gave 100 percent and when I saw my opportunity, I had to take it.”
Senior Alberto Villegas, who started playing soccer with Venalonso at 10 years old, added an insurance goal halfway through the second half. Both goals were assisted by Andres Castro.
“All I was focused on was just trying to score and trying to get the biggest lead we could get,” Villegas said.
Diaz and Villegas said the Caballeros weren’t concerned about the disparity in rankings between the two Tucson-area teams. But Diaz said he likes being an underdog.
“It didn’t really matter,” Villegas said. It’s “11 players against 11 players.”
Added Diaz: “I trusted my team.”
The Caballeros will travel to Scottsdale to take on the No. 5-ranked Chaparral High School on Saturday at 2 p.m. While the Caballeros only made a 30-minute drive across town into Vail for the Cienega game, now Flowing Wells will have to travel two hours to its foe.
But Venalonso said he’s confident in his team to continue in the tournament.
“We’re going to bring the biggest upset of the season,” Venalonso said.
The fourth-year head coach said he’s been grateful for the support from the district and community.
“Flowing Wells is a community where we’re all very united and that’s what gives us strength,” Venalonso said. “That unity helps us keep moving forward.”
