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Hernando Today

The Last Line of Defense

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: January 6, 2009

If a person happens to be watching the Springstead boys' soccer team this year and look at their goalkeeper, they may be in for a surprise.
Because unlike a lot of high school goalies, sophomore Joey Lasala does not look like your regular high school keeper.
The 5-foot-9, 125-pound player has been leading the Eagles this year on a complete turnaround from last season.
Lasala was the goalie for that team as the Eagles finished with a record of 7-12-7.
But with a year's experience and by his coaches' opinion, much better players in front of him, Lasala is leading a turn-around for the Eagles.
Last week Springstead went 2-1 in the 8th annual Ridgewood Winter Soccer Classic. SHS bested Lithia-Newsome in the first round, 4-1, and shut out Pompano Beach-Ely in the semifinals, 1-0, before losing to Class 6A regional finalist Tampa Alonso in the tournament finals, 3-1.
The loss in the finals put the Eagles record at 11-4-2 this winter as Lasala, who has started in goal for all of Springstead's matches this year, now has six shutouts on the season and a goal against average of 0.69.

Looks are deceiving

That comes despite the fact that Lasala would never fool anyone into believing that he is an outside linebacker for USC.
Lasala began playing soccer 11 years ago when he was 4-years-old.
"I wasn't a goalie at first," he said. "I started out playing forward and then they just stuck me in goal one day and I was good at it."
Like most goalkeepers, Lasala has learned that when a shot comes his way, he has to go after it like nothing else is in the way.
"No, I don't think about anything else when I'm going for the ball," Lasala described. "My eyes are only on the ball; I don't care what's going on around me."
Because of his size, Head Coach Sal Calabrese, believes Lasala has to gain some pounds to reach his potential as a net minder.
"If he puts some weight on, I'm not talking about fat here," Calabrese said. "But add some upper body strength and then when he gets hit in the goal, he wouldn't have to worry about it."
Lasala believes that his size may be of some advantage, but he also agrees that his coach does have a point.
"It's an advantage sometimes," he said about his size. "Coach Sal keeps telling me to step up and play my game and not to be afraid. But he's always telling me he wants to get me into the weight room get some upper body strength."
This year the sophomore goalie has six shutouts, including an important 2-0 white-wash of district champ Hudson on Dec. 15.
In the Ridgewood tournament, despite playing without top players Terry Wald and Tyler Callaghan, Lasala and the Eagles made the tournament finals before losing to Class 6A regional finalist, Tampa-Alonso.
In that same tournament after the Eagles beat Newsome, 4-1, Lasala made three tough saves in the opening three minutes of the game.
Because of his play, Newsome Head Coach Neal Rickmers had high praise for Lasala.
"He is the best goalie we've faced all year," summed up Rickmers. "We took several good shots early and he stopped them," he said.
Lasala has been playing for the Hernando Heat during the off-season and was starting goalie for the Eagles the past two years. He also said that this year's team is much better than the Eagle team from a year ago.
"We've added some good freshmen and we're playing well as a team," the sophomore goalie said. "I think we've got a really good team on our hands."
According to his coach, Lasala still has room for improvement.
"He's still needs some work on his angle play and communicating with his defense and he has to add some upper body strength," said Coach Calabrese.
"If he puts some weight on, then if he gets hit, he wouldn't have to worry about it. Now if he does, he feels it and that's why he's a little lackadaisical about coming off his line. He's sort of afraid he's going to get hit and hurt."
"His biggest downfall right now is his communicating with his defense," said the 16-year Eagle coach. "He doesn't work on talking with his defense enough. But if he builds his upper body, the rest will come along."
But his coach also said that hitting the weights is something Lasala has to do on his own.
"He's got to have the desire and discipline to do it," added Calabrese. "He's a fighter and he hasn't been a goalkeeper for long. The difference is we've picked up some good players and with the people in front of him, it gives Joey a little more confidence."
Lasala said he had a simple reason for being a goalie, "No running, it means you don't have to run as much."
He also has his eyes on playing soccer in college.
"I've been to a couple of summer camps and everywhere I've gone, they've told me I can make it as a college goalie," explained Lasala. "So now I have to make sure I keep my grades up too."

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