Buena Claims Title With Zero Tolerance

VENTURA —  Beware, these Bulldogs bite.

Those would be the Buena High boys’ soccer team, which won two games Thursday to claim the title of the Buena tournament, their second tournament championship in 10 days.

After downing Narbonne, 3-0, in the semifinals, Buena defeated Moorpark, 4-0, in the title game.

In four tournament games, the Bulldogs outscored their opponents, 9-0.

Buena (11-2-2) wasn’t touted in the preseason, but won the Royal tournament on Dec. 22 and has emerged, without the presence of an obvious star, as arguably the region’s best boys’ team.

If there is a standout, Brad Workman, a diminutive midfielder and forward, is the likely candidate. One of nine juniors on the team, Workman was the most valuable player of the Royal tournament, scored four goals in the Buena tournament and has nine this season.

Workman said Buena’s showing has been a surprise.

“We were thinking that next year we’d be a top-notch team,” Workman said. “We didn’t know what to expect this year, but it’s been good so far.”

Sean Roche, the Bulldogs’ coach, credits the team’s chemistry and willingness to play a specific style of soccer for its success.

“We defend as a unit, we play the ball into the attacking third [of the field] quickly and we get people there to help,” Roche said. “We’re going to be a handful for anyone to beat.”

Buena’s pressure attack allowed the Bulldogs to draw fouls and score on three subsequent free kicks in the first half. The first goal came in the 11th minute of the 60-minute game when Ben Smith’s 35-yard boot skimmed off the head of leaping sweeper Brian Orta of Moorpark and under the crossbar.

Moorpark (5-5-2) found itself trailing, 2-0, nine minutes later when Workman knocked a 25-yard shot from the left side off the hand of goalkeeper Josh Wheeler and inside the right post.

Ariel Hurtado headed in a 25-yard kick by David Fuentes in the 25th minute and Argenis Macias scored on a pass from Jon Maystead in the game’s final minute.