San Jose State -  Two And A Half Star Class Ranking - Seven newcomers have found their way by various roads to San Jose to join the Spartans in 2009.  Gary St. Clair seems to have addressed the primary gap that his team faces due to graduation by adding several players with the athleticism and size needed to compete on the defensive side of the ball.  St Clair stated, “We recruited for three specific roles, and those were central defender, holding midfielder, and an outside right back that can play left back as well.”  Defensive reinforcements are needed due to the loss of starting center backs Ed Brand and Sam Shore who were four year starters, starting back Gavin Wenyon who was a four-year starter and goalkeepers Lewis Sweeney and Richard Mann.  Brand, who was an All-MPSF selection for four years and team captain for three years, will be particularly hard to replace.  San Jose State will also have to find a replacement for veteran holding central midfielder Hiroki Akiyama (3g, 6a) who was a four year starter and impact player during his tenure in San Jose.  Senior Oscar Monjaras, who is the lone returning defensive starter, will have to set the pace in the back. Redshirt center back Zlatko Bijelic from Milpitas, California out of Archbishop Mitty High School is among the new faces who St. Clair will likely look to for help on the defensive side of the ball. On the offensive side of the ball the picture is much brighter experience wise for St. Clair’s squad heading into the 2009 campaign due in large part to the return of midfielder Nick Cukar who had a brilliant season last year during which he netted nine goals including seven game-winners.  Cukar enters the 2009 season as a strong candidate for the MPSF Player of the Year.  Forward Colby Moore (1g, 8a) and midfielder Ricky Dorrego (4g, 4a) are among other returning players who should add punch to San Jose State’s attack.  The graduation of midfielder Akiyama will likely mean that junior Josh Boemecke will assume the lions share of the responsibility for directing traffic so to speak for the Spartans in the middle third of the field.  Senior Brian McGuire (0g, 2a) should also be in the mix in the midfield.  Midfielders Mauricio Murillo, Jr. and Steven Sanchez who enrolled in the spring are among the newcomers who should make an immediate impact.  St. Clair and company will enter the 2009 season seeking to build on the very real momentum that they had going at the end of the 2008 season when they went 5-0-1 down the homestretch to finish with a 9-5-4 overall record that included a 5-4-1 mark in MPSF play.  The problem last year was that the Spartans dropped their first four MPSF matches digging themselves into a hole that they could not get out of.  The MPSF should again be very competitive in 2009 with Denver and New Mexico again the frontrunners.  For the Spartans to have any chance of winning the MPSF title and getting back into the NCAA Tourney for the first time since 2003 they are going to have to hit the ground running.  A task that may prove to be a difficult challenge due to the rebuilding that must take place in the back. 

 

Ricky Martin - Rodeo, California - Defender - Hercules High School - Played club for Marin FC.  Member Cal-North ODP team for three years - Region IV pool player.  Solid soccer skills. 

 

Dylan Murphy - San Francisco, California - Midfielder - Lowell High School - Played club for Marin FC - Three year member of Cal-North ODP team - ODP Region IV pool member - Athletic player.

 

Christian Romero - Roseville, California - Defender - Woodcreek High School - First Team All-League selection - Played for San Juan Soccer Club - Great touch and quickness.  Tough competitor.

 

Jonathan Lester - Fort Worth, Texas - Goalkeeper - Crowley High School - Transfers to San Jose State from SMU - Played club for DFW Tejanos - Member of North Texas and Region III ODP Team.

 

Nick Murphy - San Francisco, California - Midfielder - Lowell High School - Graduated from Lowell in 2006 - Played on VFL Osnabruck U-19 team in Germany - Member Call North ODP team.

 

Mauricio Murillo, Jr. - Santa Clara, California - Midfielder - Wilcox High School - A member of  San Jose States 2008 recruiting class but did not enroll until the spring semester.  Region IV ODP Team.

 

Steven Sanchez - San Jose, California - Midfielder - Piedmont Hills High School - A member of San Jose States 2008 recruiting class but did not enroll until the spring semester.  First Team All-BVAL.