The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) boys soccer team made it far in the state tournament playoffs the past two years. The question for players this year was whether that success was the result of a system of play or the enormous contributions from 2015 MVRHS graduate and all-time scoring leader (112 goals and 46 assists) Jason Lages.
Since his arrival three years ago, head coach Esteban Aranzabe has been preaching a particular system of play, which focuses on short passing and possessing the ball. However, early results this fall were grim, and favored the “Lages effect.” After four games, the Vineyarders were 1-3 and had been outscored 12-2, albeit against some tough teams. Then things changed. The Vineyarders began a 12-2 run, finishing 13-5 and outscoring opponents 29-3 over the last seven regular-season games.
The Times sat down with Mr. Aranzabe and assistant coach Ryan Moore last week on the eve of the state tournament to ask, What happened?
“They bought in. I believe it happened in game seven,” Mr. Aranzabe recalled. “They had doubts, no question about it. Some of the kids came to me early in the season and said, ‘Coach, it isn’t working,’ and I give them credit for doing that,” Mr. Aranzabe said.
According to Mr. Moore, the turning point was the team buying into the “small ball” short-passing game Mr. Aranzabe uses rather than the “kick and run” game favored by many American high school teams.
“We had a bad problem: no Jason. And we had a good problem: no Jason,” Mr. Aranzabe said of the former player who contributed a goal or two every game.
“You have to convince them it that works. Then they buy in and have the patience, when they see the team is winning by passing the ball around and seeing the other team getting tired chasing us. You have to be a good salesman,” he said with a smile. “So we don’t have the luxury of a superstar, but we do have the luxury of versatility and options.”
Mr. Aranzabe describes himself as a soccer teacher, rather than as a soccer coach. Fifteen years ago, he brought the game he learned in his native Uruguay and later played in Argentina to the Island when he became a youth soccer coach.
He got to know the character of the kids who now play for him. “This may be the most satisfying season. These kids found their way to play together and become a team. They found a way to get it done,” he said.
Mr. Moore is a convert. A high-achieving player at the University of North Carolina in the tough Atlantic Coast Conference with the likes of soccer powerhouses Duke University and the University of Maryland, Mr. Moore is also the MVRHS goalkeeper coach for all three MVRHS squads.
“I always played long ball, but he looks to build the attack with [short] passes into the scoring third [of the field],” Mr. Moore said. “Esteban simplifies the game. He’s only got three or four rules: Anticipate; don’t let them turn to face you, and if they do; don’t let them shoot or pass. Play the small game up and down the field. And pressure. A player under pressure will eventually make a mistake,” Mr. Moore said.
Mr. Moore recounted a list of scoring options and their results this season, in which they scored 53 times. Joining leading scorer Nianoah Cooperrider (14 goals) were Nevin Wallace (11), Elias Fhagen-Smith (7), Nick Bonneau (5), Emanuel Silva (5), Miles Jordi (2), Kelvy DaSilveira (2), and Gabe Bellebuono and Jonas Lukowitz (1).
“This is not the most star-studded team ever, but watch them win,” Mr. Moore said.
Goalkeepers Joao Gonsalves and Julian Carter allowed only 23 goals against, a miserly 1.26 goals per game.
Now the Vineyarders are preparing. They are waiting for their seeding in the south sectional round of the state tourney, a second season far different from regular season play. “It’s win or go home fishing. It’s next man up, earning playing time, producing. For the freshmen it’s a brand-new experience, they don’t know the playoffs,” Mr. Aranzabe said.
But his players know they are playing in a program rated in the top five Division 3 programs in the state, according to MaxPreps and the Boston Globe.
“They want to earn their spots. Kids want to be in the program. We had 56 kids trying out this year, the first year we’ve ever had a freshman program,” he said.
Winning big by playing small. What a concept.