The energy was palpable from Noel Vazquez’s first whistle.
In the latter part of the Centralia men’s soccer team practice on Tuesday, 20 members of the team played out the second half of a scrimmage that began earlier in the evening.
The two sides did not take it easy on each other, instead battling harder to win for bragging rights. After an intense and often physical 25 minutes, the team donning the red pinnies emerged victorious.
“You could just tell that there was a lot of emotion,” Vazquez said. “And that’s exactly what I’m trying to get. I want them to fight for their playing time, and I want them to also enjoy what they’re doing with the people next to them.”
That level of focus and energy has been consistent throughout the team’s first handful of practices, and Vazquez believes it’s a sign of the growth the program has gone through as it transitions into Year 2.
Year 1 was one full of firsts for the Blazers, starting with their first practices last summer before the bulk of the regular season. Centralia finished 4-10-4 last fall, including a 3-9-3 mark in NWAC play that left them fifth in the West Region.
“It was a little bit of everything,” Vazquez said. “A lot of us learned a lot from it.”
After some roster turnover, including the loss of five sophomores who graduated this past spring, Vazquez is confident in the group that he has this year.
“It just makes the program feel like the real thing,” Vazquez said. “Not saying last year wasn’t the real college experience, but now we’re more focused, we have a season under our belt, and we understand the level of competition.”
W.F. West grad Jairo Lima is one of five sophomores who was with the program in 2023, and he said that he can already feel the difference compared to this time last year.
“We’re using all the tools that we can to get better,” Lima said. “We have better chemistry, we have better communication, and as a team, we work together now.”
Lima credited Vazquez and the rest of the coaching staff for growing with the team throughout last year, and Vazquez also noted that there was a learning curve to the college game, specifically the top-heavy West Region of the NWAC.
Lima, who will captain the team this season, also noted that as a result of the growing process, more players have come not only for soccer, but for the college as well.
One of those is Owen Jacobs, who played high school soccer in Florida before spending a year in Mississippi. From Mississippi, Jacobs made the cross-country trek to Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, where he earned his Associate’s Degree.
While at Skagit Valley, he heard about Centralia College’s Diesel Tech program, something that would allow him to continue playing soccer and earn his Bachelor’s Degree.
“We were very happy with the visit,” Jacobs said. “I think the two biggest things were that we’re gonna have a good coach, and they have a program that I wanted here.”
In addition to playing in the Southeast, Jacobs is also a part of the 24-man U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team, which is preparing for the 2024 Def Pan American Games in Brazil this November.
Even with all of that experience, Jacobs couldn’t hold back when talking about his excitement for the upcoming Trailblazers’ season.
“I would say this is one of the more exciting seasons that I’m going into,” Jacobs said. “I’m very happy with how everyone has been playing, I’m very happy with how coach has been coaching, and I think it’s gonna go great.”
Centralia will open its season with a pair of friendlies against Walla Walla and Edmonds on Tuesday, Aug. 20, and Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.
The Trailblazers’ first non-friendly is a non-league game at Everett on Saturday, Aug. 24. After three more road games to open the regular season, Centralia will host Portland on Saturday, Sep. 7 in its home opener.
“I’m just ready,” Lima said. “CC is ready.”
