LCA's defenders defang Gators

Filthy pickpockets.

The latest soccer jingo uses "filthy" for an especially adroit player who humiliates his opponent, say by, filtering a ball right through his feet.

A pickpocket is when he steals the ball rather unexpectedly, sometimes from behind.

A large part of Lighthouse Christian Academy's soccer success this year has been its defense. Yesterday, the Santa Monica Saints buried Newbury Park Adventist Academy underneath six goals. And the defense kept a clean sheet, not hardly allowing either of its goalies do much of anything.

Specifically, two of them -- Shun Fukushige and Alex Cervantes -- are highly skilled with swiping the ball, surgically excising from its most protected spot at your feet.

And they're fast. Get past them, don't get your hopes up.

A sudden burst of speed, and they'll harry you and not let you get a shot off.

They WILL find you, they WILL track you down.

Newbury Park has been a respected rival in the CIF Southern Section's Omega League. Last year, they placed second. Historically, they are a champion contender. Last year, they were the better team compared to Lighthouse.

This year, LCA didn't so much as grant them a consolation goal. The defense was ruthlessly effective. Newbury had nothing to cheer the local crowd with a 6-0 score.

"Alex did a great job on defense, just staying calm under pressure. He and Shun just picked their pockets again and again," said Coach Jack Mefford. "They look so relaxed that I panic thinking they're not ready, but then they have the ball suddenly."

Much has been said about Lighthouse's unrelenting attack.

Senior Abraham Morales was in top form, rocketing up the left and whipping in dangerous crosses. He scored one.

Fellow Senior Erhan Meric again quit himself like Michelangelo, a universal man of soccer. In the midfield , he did it all -- defense, striker, dribbler, passer. He scored one and set up another.

But while Saints battering ram was bludgeoning Newbury's defense, LCA's last line of protection was extracting teeth from the Gators.

Alex, who really would rather be using his fancy footwork at forward, toys with strikers. It's a taunting way to play soccer. Usually defenders, if alone, simply clear a ball from the danger zone under pressure. They kick it out the sideline allowing the rest of the team to hustle back and fortify defense.

Not Alex. It seems it's his peculiar delight to madden opponents. He'll steal the ball, execute a few jukes, run past one or two forwards and pass the ball upfield.

Frankly, it's a risky way to play. But can coach get him to play safe? No. He's having too much fun.

For his part, Shun is a natural. He learned soccer in his native Japan, but he's one of those athletes who doesn't have to try to improve. He performs wonders, and it doesn't look like he is even struggling to defend. He never looks pressured or panicky. He always knows what to do. Though there have been goals conceded against Lighthouse at the beginning of the season, none came from his side of the field.

Then there's Josie Bowen, the burly freshman at stopper. He's originally from African, adopted by missionary parents, and he brings all the knowledge of soccer from the Great Continent. He's got speed, skill and timing.

The surprise on defense has been Justin Berry, a junior. He was trained in middle school to be goalie because of his height and talent at basketball. But this year, he called it quits on keeping and instead threw his body into defense.

When Pilgrim Lutheran tried to use girth to muscle their way to goal, Justin was an Abrams Tank, fast, big and intimidating.

And where did he learn how to tackle?

Tackles in soccer are very different from tackles in football. They're executed similarly to sliding into home plate in baseball, but the idea is to block the ball -- or dispossess the opponent -- without crashing into the opponent. It's a nervy maneuver that usually takes lots of practice. Justin conjured tackles without anyone ever showing him how, and he's discharged them like an Italian.

If you can get past these four -- a fearsome foursome, you still have to beat LCA's goalie.

Goals against Lighthouse have occurred towards the beginning of the season; the team looked disjointed. Yesterday was simply the result of the trend. They allowed no goals. When Lighthouse played SCVi on Thursday, the defenders collectively decided to fall asleep on the field (very nearly pulling out pillows and sheets) to let through a lone goal.

"We almost always have the ball all the time, so they push up," Erhan said. "Alex has been the backbone of defense. He controls the other three. Justin, even though it's his first year, he plays an experienced player. It looks like he's been play for years. I can't say anything about Shun. He knows how to defend. He's a complete player. He knows how to do everything. They're always pushed up. That makes our job in the midfield easier."

LCA has won all of its games this season (two remain), so the inclination is towards hyperbole. Does Lighthouse play perfect soccer? By no means. But LCA has improved those areas where they played disjointed. And they continue to improve.

It is no longer a question of IF Lighthouse will make playoffs. It is now a question of how far they will progress into playoffs.

The Omega League is not the State's most competitive.

But the filthy pickpockets from a school of only 50 students have reason to believe they will make a solid showing.

Photo: LCA's defensive line from left to right: Mosie Bowen, Shun Fukushige, Alex Cervantes and Justin Berry. Watch highlights: Christian school Santa Monica soccer.