'All we got, all we need': Catalina's High School's short-handed soccer team embraces underdog role

A little less than two weeks ago, Catalina High School’s boys soccer team clinched a region title under the most trying of circumstances. The Trojans suited up just 10 players, coming off a harrowing stretch of three games in three days — and 420 minutes of soccer in 11 days.

Catalina beat Sabino 1-0 anyway.

The team was excited to take on Santa Rita in its next game, but the reality of life in a pandemic set in. The day after its Feb. 11 win over Sabino, the team was informed that several Trojans had been exposed to COVID-19 through a player on opposing team.

A handful of quarantines and negative tests later, the Trojans are back. The club will take on Amphi on Wednesday as it builds toward the Class 3A state playoffs.

Catalina has played five matches this season, and has another three scheduled. Coach Gabriel Rocha said he’s looking to add as many as two more tough opponents to prepare his team for the postseason.

For a team that’s adopted “All we got, all we need,” as its motto, simply making it this far is an accomplishment.

“We’re a big underdog. Not a lot of people give us respect,” Rocha said. “We’re trying to build and earn that.”

A member of the United Soccer Coaches 2019-20 “30 Under 30” program, Rocha said he’s never experienced anything like this year’s team. The Trojans’ roster consists of players from several continents and countries around the globe. Roster size is an issue. Catalina finished a loss to Thatcher earlier this season with just nine players on the field.

“My first and second year, we were around 30 to 40 kids in the entire program,” Rocha said. “It’s a big departure having only 11 or 12. That’s across the board, though — not just at Catalina. All districts are dealing with low numbers, especially in the areas with more (coronavirus-related) restrictions.”

The players can feel the difference, too.

“It’s been not easy. For the past few games, we’ve been playing with only 10 or 11 with no subs,” said junior Jilverto Velazquez. “It’s been tiring, for sure.”

Like most players on the team, Velazquez plays more than one position — left forward and midfielder — depending on need. Despite the challenges that playing on a short-handed roster — and playing in masks — pose, Velazquez is up for the challenge.

“We’re doing good right now. If we could just keep it up till the end, we could make state and win,” Velazquez, 17, said.

Junior Merci Nzabakiza was born in the Congo and spent most of his life in Kenya before moving to Tucson in 2017. He’s been playing soccer since he was 5 and hopes to take it as far as he can, saying he loves everything about the game. His thing is working together with his teammates.

Especially this year.

“Other teams canceled their seasons because they had 10 or 11 players. Us, we had 11 and we still believed we could do it,” Nzabakiza, 17, said. “We did our thing, we won the region and we’re still going. My teammates are working hard for the team. Nobody’s being selfish or doing their own thing.”

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Senior Boniface Ekenya, also from Kenya, called the season thus far “crazy.”

“It’s been hard, but we’ve sacrificed ourselves and played to represent our team and our school,” Ekenya said. “We’re the only team playing at our school, so we’re working hard to win all the games we’re playing.”

Ekenya, 19, is looking forward to playing soccer at Pima College next year, but he’s even more excited to get back on the field against Amphi. Rocha calls the city rival “like our ASU.”

“There’s much love on the team. I’m grateful for that,” Ekenya said. “The love and the communication came together and we’re just like brothers.”

Junior Jahir Aguas said that despite the unusual circumstances of the season, his team is improving both as a unit and as individuals.

“Everything I’ve done is honestly just about soccer. Soccer has always been there in my life,” Aguas, 16, said. Both his parents hailing from Mexico, Aguas has lived in Tucson his whole life, taking up soccer when he was just 4 or 5. “When I’m on the soccer field, all I think about is getting the ball and being on the field.”

The chemistry and love this year’s team shares is special, Rocha said, as was the sense of loss they collectively felt when state officials decided to cancel winter sports earlier this year. Rocha said the team was “gutted.”

The the Arizona Interscholastic Association changed its mind.

The Trojans’ reaction?

“This thing is so precious, we’ve got to protect it,” Rocha said. “This is our season. Everything is so personal to them.”

The road to a state title won’t be easy, but Rocha and his players say they’re up for the challenge. The team is scheduled to finish its season with games against Safford and Tanque Verde. Rocha is trying to set up a second match with Safford before playoff brackets are revealed.

“These kids are no strangers to adversity,” Rocha said. “We welcome adversity with open arms.”

The region title earned the Trojans an automatic berth in the state tournament, meaning that the team is currently playing for seeding. Rocha’s hope is that Catalina can host its first playoff games in decades.

Rocha said he hopes the team’s success this season can serve as a beacon for the school.

“We’re all we got in this crazy situation — the pandemic — but we’re all we need,” Rocha said.

“When we lean into our brothers, our teammates, we’re there.”