By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Each day, on his way to work as the Social Media Manager for the Oakland Roots Sports Club, Mario Cendejas takes time to think about his journey in life – including his years at Napa Valley College and also Napa Valley 1839 FC, a men’s semi-pro soccer team.
For Cendejas, there is a lot to reflect on – which goes back to getting his start as a photo intern with Napa Valley 1839 FC and then taking on more and more duties, such as sports marketing and videography.
“Despite having to leave home and working in my backyard, had it not been for 1839 FC, I don't think I would be where I'm at now,” Cendejas said, recently. “And that's why, on my way to Oakland, my commute during the week, it’s a time of reflection for me. I get to reflect and realize how much I've accomplished. I had no idea where I was going with this. But now, I've gotten somewhere.”
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Six players from Napa Valley College were named to the All-Bay Valley Conference men’s soccer team, Storm head coach Rogelio Ochoa announced.
Selected first-team All-BVC for Napa Valley:
* Ivan Chavez: sophomore, defender.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College men’s soccer team continued its outstanding play, beating host Merritt College-Oakland, 7-0, in a Bay Valley Conference match on Nov. 7.
Four first-half goals, followed by three second-half goals, powered the Storm, which is in second place in the conference standings.
Napa Valley (10-7-1 overall, 8-2-1 Bay Valley) will take a two-game winning streak into Thursday’s regular-season finale, at home against Yuba College-Marysville, at 3 p.m.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Host Napa Valley College won its Bay Valley Conference men’s soccer match on Friday, Nov. 3, shutting out Contra Costa College-San Pablo, 4-0.
Napa Valley (9-7-1 overall, 7-2-1 Bay Valley) is in second place in the conference standings.
There are two games to go in the 2023 regular season for the Storm.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
First-place Woodland Community College and second-place Napa Valley College tied in a key Bay Valley Conference men’s soccer match on Friday, Oct. 27 in Woodland, 1-1.
Woodland (9-5-2 overall, 7-0-1 Bay Valley) remains in first place.
Napa Valley (8-7-1 overall, 6-2-1 Bay Valley) is in second place, with three matches to go in the 2023 regular season. The Storm is 7-2-1 in its last 10 games.
Justin Sotelo scored Napa Valley’s lone goal of the match. The assist went to Ivan Chavez.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College men’s soccer team is on a big-time roll.
Five straight wins.
Shutouts in the last two matches.
Outstanding play from both the offense and defense.
Solo possession of second place in the Bay Valley Conference.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College men’s soccer team extended its winning streak to four in a row with a 3-0 Bay Valley Conference victory over host Mendocino College on Friday, Oct. 20 in Ukiah.
The Storm (7-7 overall, 5-2 Bay Valley) is in third place in the conference standings.
Napa Valley is 6-4 in its last 10 matches.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College men’s soccer team won its third match in a row, beating host Yuba College, 4-2, in Marysville on Tuesday.
The Storm (6-7 overall, 4-2 Bay Valley Conference) scored two goals in the first half and then scored two goals in the second half.
Napa Valley is alone in third place in the conference standings.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Napa Valley College head men’s soccer coach Rogelio Ochoa talked to his team at halftime on Friday, Oct. 13 about the importance of making smarter runs and smarter decisions, passing off a good shot for a great shot, and creating better scoring looks.
“I think that's what we did in the second half, just seeing those spaces a little bit better, and just allowing us to have better assists to put them away. I think that was the biggest difference,” said Ochoa.
Ulisses Cruz got the message, loud and clear.
“Yeah, it really hit me. It just really stuck with me,” said Cruz.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College men’s soccer team took all kinds of shots on goal in Tuesday’s Bay Valley Conference match against visiting Woodland Community College.
The Storm took eight shots in the first half.
They took 10 shots in the second half.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Coach Rogelio Ochoa calls Isai Mata, a freshman forward, a “workhorse” on the field for the Napa Valley College men’s soccer team.
“He's out there putting in work, making the right runs, putting the right press,” said Ochoa. “He's a soccer player that just likes the ball. He just likes to come out here and compete and it showed today.”
Mata can also deliver in big moments, as he showed on Tuesday, as Napa Valley opened the Bay Valley Conference season at home. In a dramatic finish to a fast-paced game that was scoreless at halftime, Mata scored the winning goal at the 78th minute of the second half, lifting the Storm in a 1-0 victory over Mendocino College-Ukiah.
His teammates were not the only ones who celebrated with Mata. Following their fall session practice at Storm Field, players from the NVC baseball team also joined in on the celebration.
“Our baseball team came out. I do think they gave us a little burst when we needed it the most,” said Ochoa.
It was the second win in a row for Napa Valley (3-5 overall), which again was stellar on defense, getting a superb game from Carl Osifo-Doe at goal keeper. Napa Valley won a fifth straight Bay Valley Conference title and advanced to the California Community College Athletic Association-Northern California Regional playoffs last year.
“I think players definitely had a fight in them and never gave up. We just couldn’t put the goal in when we had a couple of clear chances in the first half,” said Ochoa. “And then in the second half, I thought we brought the energy even higher, and we created more chances.
“It was a late goal. I definitely talked to them, to make sure that we stay focused, if it comes early or comes late. And the boys did exactly that. They kept the pressure and Mata made a great goal.”
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Coach Rogelio Ochoa called it a “complete team performance,” as the host Napa Valley College men’s soccer team picked up its second win of the 2023 season, beating a highly-ranked Merced College team, 2-1, in a nonconference match on Friday, Sept. 22
The play of the Storm’s defense was exceptionally stellar. Jonah Segura, Angel Tapia, Ulisses Cruz and Octavio Castro keyed the Napa Valley defense.
“All four defenders did really well. They're the only players that played all 90 minutes,” said Ochoa. “Everyone else got subbed out. The first line of defense and the midfield also did a great job. We rotated players properly so we can continue doing that at a high level. But the backline did a phenomenal job all game long.”
Napa Valley (2-5 overall) held Merced to the one goal, that coming in the 85th minute of the second half.
“We're really locked in on the defensive side,” said Ochoa. “We made it very difficult for the opponent to have any space and any passing lanes, just any type of penetration on the field, and it made them really uncomfortable and allowed us to stay in the game, and then also create good chances.”
Mario Cendejas’ journey from the Napa Valley to Oakland Roots Sports Club
February 02, 2024By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com Each day, on his way to work as the Social Media Manager for the Oakland Roots Sports Club, Mario Cendejas takes time to think about his journey in life – including his years at Napa Valley College and also Napa Valley 1839 FC, a men’s semi-pro soccer team. For Cendejas, there is a lot to reflect on – which goes back to getting his start as a photo intern with Napa Valley 1839 FC and then taking on more and more duties, such as sports marketing and videography. “Despite having to leave home and working in my backyard, had it not been for 1839 FC, I don't think I would be where I'm at now,” Cendejas said, recently. “And that's why, on my way to Oakland, my commute during the week, it’s a time of reflection for me. I get to reflect and realize how much I've accomplished. I had no idea where I was going with this. But now, I've gotten somewhere.”
