Charles Rich
CRESCENTA VALLEY HIGH -- The play-making skills have been nurtured.
All that's left on Bassam Khan's learning curve is to adapt to an
aggressive brand of soccer to weave around his pinpoint shots and passes.
The La Canada High boys' senior soccer player absorbed his share of
physical abuse Tuesday in the Spartans' 5-0 nonleague road win against
intercity rival Crescenta Valley, visiting the dirt several times in
collisions after he abused CV's defense with two goals and an assist.
That left Khan, a midfielder, to brush off the dirt that briefly
joined his Cardinal and gold jersey and then play a game of keep-away
against CV's frustrated defense.
"That's the difference between high school and club soccer," said
Khan, a member of the Burbank-based American Global Soccer School. "I'm
still making the adjustments to the physical game, and it's a mental
thing for me. Once I get used to taking the hits, I'll be fine. I guess
you have to have eyes in the back of your head."
Khan scored the game-winning goal in the match's 13th minute, and then
added an insurance goal midway through the second half to give the
Spartans (2-0) it's second shutout win in as many seasons against the
Falcons (1-3).
Eric Irvine, Nick Marquand and Kilai Kolar each scored one goal for La
Canada in a match that featured six yellow cards and one red card. CV
midfielder Bobby Mena received a red card in the final minute after he
tackled La Canada's Jordan El--Saden. CIF Southern Section rules state
that a player who receives a red card must sit out the next game, forcing
Mena to miss CV's nonleague match against host Burbank Thursday.
Mena's red card was a double dose of bad news for Crescenta Valley
Coach Bill Papagno, who saw his team drop its second consecutive match.
"His loss will hurt us," said Papagno, whose team has been outscored
8-2 in its four matches. "Especially since we are playing some tough
teams at this stretch of our schedule. We are a team that's still trying
to rebuild, and we don't have that many club players like La Canada. We
just couldn't get our passing game going today, and we got frustrated at
the end."
