Audie Garza knows how to go out with a bang.

In his last soccer game Monday night for Sierra before heading north to Canada to join Valencia CF's residential academy in Montreal, Quebec, Garza tallied both Timberwolves goals in Sierra’s 2-1 win over Enochs at Daniel Teicheira Memorial Stadium. This was the final pre-season game for the Timberwolves before their Valley Oak League opener on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at home against Oakdale.

Less than two minutes into the game Garza took a cross from Adrian Ramirez and got it into the net to give Sierra (3-4) a 1-0 lead.

“It was a great feeling to give Audie an assist before he goes off,” Ramirez said, “He has been a good friend. I have played club ball and high school ball with him.

“He is a great player. I think he deserves everything that is coming to him, and I know he is going to do great and go on to high places. It just felt so good giving him that assist before he goes.”

In the 30th minute Garza found the Eagles goalie playing too far away from the goal and Garza launched it over the keeper’s head, dropping it in the goal just under the crossbar for a 2-0 lead.

“On that first goal, I was just in the right place at the right time,” Garza said, “On the second one I saw the goalie way out of the box so I tried to get it over him the best I could and it went in.”

After Eduardo Diaz scored in the 55th minute to draw Enochs (7-2) within 2-1, the Eagles from Modesto were attacking again when Timberwolves goalie Aiden Dolin-Lira came out past the 18 to stop the Enochs attacker. The two collided, the Eagles player was docked with a yellow card and Enochs did not threaten again.

“After they scored to make it 2-1, the game got really tense,” Dolin-Lira said. “Our defense did the best it could.

“On that collision, I saw the ball coming at me and I knew I was the last man so I had to go out of the box to get it and then we collided.”

Sierra coach Joe Pires knows he had a special player in Garza.

“He is a special player,” Pires said of Garza. “He just plays at a different level.

“He normally scores for us, but today with this being his last game, it was a little more special.”

When Garza gets to Montreal, the campus he will be at is the top North American academy for Valencia CF, a professional club that competes in the La Liga in Spain. Their academies are meant to identify and train top young talent.
Garza's residency will last through June. During his time at Valencia, he'll get to train and play in Spain and other parts of Europe, as well as in Canada and the U.S. In Montreal, Garza will be a part of a professional training environment, geared toward maximizing his talent and his exposure to collegiate and pro scouts.

Garza earned this opportunity through his play with the Manteca Futbol Club's 04/05 Rebels Red soccer team, which competes regionally and nationally in tournaments and showcases.

Junior varsity

Sierra 1, Enochs 1

Franco Esteban scored the lone Timberwolves goal.