This season, Mexico boys soccer won its first playoff game in three years and won five more games.
According to multiple postseason award lists, there were several Bulldogs that were key to those …
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This season, Mexico boys soccer won its first playoff game in three years and won five more games.
According to multiple postseason award lists, there were several Bulldogs that were key to those feats. Junior goalkeeper Emille Scanavino was the only Bulldog to make the North Central Missouri Conference and all-district team — second-team and first-team, respectively — and the Class 2 Region 2 (districts 3 and 4) team.
Joining Scanavino on the all-conference team was senior defender Declan Gleeson and senior midfielder Fernando Guzman — both second-team. The Class 2 District 4 team also included senior defender Kevin Lopez, the second team had junior defenders Jaylen Johnson and Jibran Rodriguez and junior midfielder Brendan McKeown was an honorable mention.
Mexico’s defense improved from its 5.9 goals allowed per game last year to a 4.2 average this season. Scanavino was usually there to stop the shots that made it through, collecting more than 200 saves, averaging nine per game and turning away six penalty shots.
Head coach William Gleeson said Scanavino came through in big situations all year, including the Bulldogs’ 3-2 win at Moberly via penalty kicks as Scanavino stopped penalty shots — one in overtime and two in the shootout. Gleeson recalls Scanavino having a strong work ethic since he was a freshman.
“We had a more experienced keeper who just was a touch better, but he did play a few because the keeper got hurt,” Gleeson said after a September game at home against Fulton, in which he made 11 saves. “That next year, the other keeper was going to be senior when he was a sophomore, but the senior didn’t come out so he really had to step it up. And step it up he did.”
Declan Gleeson made a repeat trip to the all-conference team after acting as a second goalkeeper on the back line, blocking 22 shots and adding two assists. In his second straight all-NCMC season, Guzman ranked second on the team with 10 goals and had a team-high six assists.
Mexico’s other defenders stayed active as Lopez had nine blocked shots along with three assists, Johnson finished with 10 blocks and one assist and Rodriguez owned 12 blocks and an assist. McKeown added two blocks while scoring six goals and tallying two assists.
