Dominic Rubino

Patrick Laverty

Fighting for first place in the Pacific Coast League, the Corona del

Mar High boys soccer team got a key victory over rival Northwood when

senior midfielder Dominic Rubino scored the lone goal of the game in

a 1-0 win.

It was Rubino’s first goal since the early weeks of the season,

but he has been a consistent performer for the Sea Kings, regardless

of his goal count, which Corona del Mar Coach Pat Callaghan said

still ranks second on the team.

“He’s been a workhorse for us,” Callaghan said. “He’s real

consistent out there.”

Combine his game-winning goal with an assist in the Sea Kings’

easy 6-0 victory over Calvary Chapel last Wednesday and it was enough

to earn Rubino Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week honors.

It’s a fitting reward for a player who put in the hard work

necessary in the off-season to improve his own fortunes.

After playing sparingly as a junior, Rubino has become a key

member of a Sea Kings squad that went into Wednesday’s contest

against Laguna Beach with an 8-2-6 record, 3-0-2 in league.

With a slight case of burnout, but still holding a love for the

sport of soccer, Rubino put in the necessary work to get back on the

field this season, often working out by himself over the summer.

“It was my senior year, my last year playing soccer,” Rubino said.

“I just wanted to get as much playing time as I could so I worked

hard in the summer.”

In his own words, Rubino wasn’t physically fit enough to play in

his junior year, but his fitness hasn’t been a problem as he’s roamed

the sideline as a left midfielder this year.

“He’s our sole left-footed player,” Callaghan said. “We rely on

him a lot to work the left win and swing balls in from the left

side.”

Rubino’s technical ability with his left foot, despite being a

right-hander, comes from his early work habits, which in a way,

foreshadowed his willingness to get ready for his senior season.

“As a kid, I just trained with my left foot because I knew it

would be an advantage,” Rubino said.

Able to strike the ball with both feet equally well, Rubino can

present a problem for opposing defenses from anywhere on the field.

But his No. 1 priority is bringing the ball up the sideline and

swinging it in to the forwards.

“Pretty much our game plan is to get it to the wings and try to

get them to cross it in,” Rubino said.

Against Northwood, Rubino was on the receiving end of such a

cross.

“Juilen [Cerutti] made a nice move up the sideline and crossed it

in,” Rubino said. “I just had to tap it in. It was a one-touch with

my right foot.”

And after all the hard work in the off-season to get to where he

is today, it was a mighty fine reward.

“It felt good,” Rubino said.