Gonzalez claims Arcadia soccer scoring record, Raiders ready for postseason

Andree Gonzalez was hearing it from his teammates and coaches early on during a nonconference boys soccer game at Arcadia High School last Tuesday. 

“Field goal good,” they chanted once as he sailed a shot over the Altoona net.

Poking fun at the senior was all in playful jest, coach Luis Cruz said, and Gonzalez had the perfect response–a four-goal night that was enough to break the program record for goals in a season (33) and propel Arcadia to a 6-0 win.

The win preceded a 2-2 tie with Aquinas on Thursday. Arcadia (13-4-2 this season) was scheduled to close the regular season with a visit to Eau Claire North on Monday.

“He’s a very technical guy, and he has really good feet,” Cruz said of Gonzalez.

The record was something Gonzalez had circled on his list of goals ahead of the season, and he showed some early frustration on Tuesday as he chased the number, Cruz thought. But knowing Gonzalez since he was a young boy, his coach knew that the senior would use dribbling and a strong shot to make it happen.

Gonzalez gave Arcadia a 2-0 lead on Tuesday, sneaking a shot by the Altoona goalie near the goalmouth after a flurry of other chances. He tapped in another on the far side of the net in the 27th minute and capped the hat trick with a shot into the low right corner late in the second half.

He added a fourth in the second half to join scores by Ricardo Juarez on the 1-0 tally and another from Gael Castelan 17 minutes into the second half.

“If we control the ball, we control the whole game. But I know we can do more than what I saw today,” Cruz said of his offense’s showing. “We are more technical, and we can do way better.”

Sophomore Will Cruz made a diving save that led to Gonzalez’s third goal on Tuesday, and the Raiders’ coach said the goalie has continued to learn in his first season as a starter.

“We want him keeping like that. We want him confident, but not too confident. With that regional right around the corner, those are going to be different games for sure.”

Arcadia had an argument for the top seed in the playoff bracket, and Thursday’s tie with Aquinas was an important result for that purpose. No stats were reported for the game.

Regardless, Cruz said he wants his team to enjoy the moment and not think too far ahead as they push for another state tournament berth.

“We have good talent right here. … We’re going to enjoy every single moment and our goal is going to state again. We don’t want to feel too confident, and we have to fight to go back,” Cruz said.

“I think we have a good chance, but we’re going to fight one by one, step by step.”