It’s a class reunion of sorts.

Nine of the 2013 Sac Joaquin Section Division I boy’s soccer champions of Granite Bay High are together again, part of the indoor soccer team, All Blacks FC, at Rocklin’s California Family Fitness Sports Complex.

This time their goal isn’t to win a league title, or even a section title — their goal is to draw the attention of collegiate squads to play at the next level and improve their own game along the way.

“We’re playing against teams that are older than us, who are averaging 28 years-old” Dominic Scotti said. “It’s more skill-based instead of all athletic. You just have to go out there and adjust.”

Scotti will play for Wake Forest University’s men’s soccer team this fall. He’s one of only four players on the indoor squad that already have a slated spot on a collegiate roster. Pablo Zeqarra (of New Jersey) is another, playing for Montclair State University. Chase Goulart also committed to play for Dominican University, while incoming Granite Bay senior Corban Anderson (the only non-graduate) committed to the University of Washington.

The rest of the players on All Blacks FC are aspiring for next-level success as walk-ons.

Some of them have a pretty good shot.

Jeff Gaebler and Felipe Zeqarra combined for 30 goals last season for the Grizzles. They are tough indoor and on the pitch, but the Rocklin facilities have strengthened a whole new style of game.

Unlike outdoor soccer, indoor has smaller goals on smaller fields, surrounded by walls that stretch up to plexi-glass and netting.

The game itself is divided into two 20-minute halves against unfamiliar foes. The All Blacks FC has been pitted against elite, college-level teams.

 “It’s fun,” University of Arizona walk-on hopeful Tyler Johnson said. “It’s going against older competition to keep our edge and to keep in shape.”

All Blacks entered Tuesday’s contest on the momentum of an 11-6 victory, but fell 12-7 for their first loss of the season to a tenacious Five Guys squad.

All Blacks FC would struggle defensively in their first game at the “A”-Premier Level despite three goals by Scotti, all in the first half, and seven total saves by Nicolo Saviotti.

 “We need to step up our defense, we know what we need to practice on,” Gaebler, also gunning for a spot at Arizona, said. “They’re great competition. A lot of them are coaches.

“They had a (former Placer United coach) and (other) coaches. They were older than us and more experienced, but were beatable.”

Offensively, All Blacks FC outshot Five Guys 27-21 as they were behind 7-5 heading into the half; but three quick goals gave Five Guys a 10-5 lead with less than 15 minutes to go.

It proved to be the dagger Tuesday, one more learning experience as the group prepares for next-level opportunities.

It’s all in the game.

Source:  http://www.thepresstribune.com/article/all-blacks-fc-granite-bay-uses-indoor-adversity-prepare-collegiate-walk-ons