Young Pinewood soccer team gaining experience in defeat

By Pete Borello, Town Crier Staff Writer

One thing you can say about the Pinewood School boys soccer team: the Panthers have youth on their side.

One side effect of youth, however, can be growing pains, which is exactly what the Panthers are enduring this season.

Pinewood entered this week with a 4-6 overall record, 2-6 in the Private Schools Athletic League.

“We’re a very young team and this is a building year for us,” said Pinewood’s first-year coach Jan Eric Nordmo. “Next year, we’ll have higher expectations.”

This season is all about gaining experience, according to Nordmo, who is excited about the prospect of returning almost all his players next year.

The Panthers have just two seniors on the team — starter Danney Lynch and reserve Ian Whyburn, both fullbacks. The rest of the roster breaks down like this: five juniors, three sophomores and six freshmen.

Five of the freshmen start, including goalkeeper Tyler Mosher.

“He’s young, but he’s doing a terrific job,” Nordmo said of Mosher, who’s been helped by the solid play of freshman defender Justin Lee. “Tyler’s had to learn under fire. He’s quite an athlete and has good hands.”

Mosher surrendered only one goal in Pinewood’s 4-1 rout of winless St. Lawrence Academy Sept. 30. Fellow freshmen Micah Hecht and Paul Eichler each scored a goal in the road match, along with junior Yuta Arai (Pinewood’s other score came on an own goal).

Two other juniors, Andrew Matthews and Alex Slosberg, have been designated the team captains. The coach is pleased with how both players have handled their roles as leaders.

“They’ve had to step up and take charge of the team,” Nordmo said.

Nordmo, who coaches the girls soccer team at Los Gatos High during the winter season, has lofty goals for the Panthers. He wants to make the Pinewood soccer team as strong as its girls basketball program, which routinely ranks among the best in he Central Coast Section despite the school’s small population.

“We have a small pool (of students) to draw from,” Nordmo said. “If we can get through the rough spots right now and build up this program, players will want to start coming here to play soccer.”

Pinewood hosts Fremont Christian at 3:30 p.m., Friday, in a PSAL contest.