Diego Bustamante has had a big impact on Asheboro’s boys’ soccer team this season. (PJ Ward Brown/Randolph Record)
ELON – It won’t always be easy for Asheboro’s boys’ soccer team and that’s probably ideal at this stage of the season.
Coming off the best year in program history, more big things are expected of the Blue Comets this fall.
“We need to get building into our style of game,” coach Nicholas Arroyo said. “We don’t let outside factors into what we’re doing.”
Part of Arroyo’s plan has been to generate challenges on the schedule. Those have come in several forms, including last week’s game at 2021 state champion Western Alamance.
“We need to try to find harder schools,” Arroyo said. “We’re trying to heighten our level of competition.”
The Blue Comets reached the Class 3-A West Region final last year while racking up a 23-2-2 record.
With that success, Arroyo said he has seen signs this season that the Blue Comets feel they’re on a pedestal, so it’s important that they become grounded and properly focused. Asheboro suffered an August loss – falling 1-0 to North Moore – for the first time since 2016.
Yet the Blue Comets entered this week with a 6-1 record after topping Western Alamance by 3-1 and visiting Eastern Randolph 6-0 last week. There are more tune-ups prior to the Sept. 25 opener in Mid-Piedmont Conference play.
“We have to keep working hard,” junior midfielder Daniel Resendez said. “We have the same amount of talent as last year and we have to put it all together.”
Arroyo said it has been a test for games early in the week after many of the team’s players have competed with club teams on weekends. So when Western Alamance scored less than three minutes into the game, the coach said he was irritated.
The Blue Comets perked up, with junior midfielder Diego Bustamante scoring the tying goal before halftime. In a span of about 13 minutes in the second half, Bustamante and Ozmar Martinez converted penalty kicks.
Arroyo said it was good to see the Blue Comets continue to apply pressure after taking the lead.
“We want a cushion,” he said. “That was a strong (opponent) and they’re going to be a dangerous team.”
It looks like Asheboro should fall into that category as well.
“Just keep positive,” Bustamonte said. “You want no negative stuff.”
In the Eastern Randolph game, Martinez scored two goals, while Bustamonte, Alexander Arce, Abrahan Cabral and Tyler Smith had the other goals.
