JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers CHALLENGE—Moorpark High's Mario Valladares, right, feels the heat from Royal's Uriel Urozco during Tuesday's match at MHS. The Musketeers won the contest, 2-1, to remain in the playoff hunt. Moorpark High boys' soccer head coach Juan Barron is enjoying his job once again.

After finishing near the cellar of the Marmonte League last year, the Musketeers have turned things around this season and are competing for the league's fourth and final playoff spot.

Entering Thursday night's home match against Agoura, MHS was tied with Newbury Park for fourth place with a league record of 6-4-1. Westlake, Simi Valley and Agoura occupy the top three spots in the Marmonte.

Barron said a lot has changed with his squad.

"It just comes down to passion," Barron said. "We had some talent last year, but the team didn't have any passion. This year's squad has it. They want it more.

"It's been really fun to come to practice and watch them knock the ball around. I just wish I could put the boots on myself and play with them, but unfortunately my bad back won't let me."

Barron said this year's squad has great chemistry and that the bonding started earlier than usual.

"I tried to keep the team together over the summer more than usual and meet up with them once or twice a month," Barron said. "It seemed to work, because by our first practice in the fall, everyone knew what they were doing."

Senior co-captain Sean McKenna also noticed a change during the summer.

"Our team last year was a little more divided, and we lost the players that divided it," McKenna said. "In the summer, everything finally seemed to click. We have more team unity, and we celebrate good times more often."

One reason for the climb in the standings has been the play of senior forward Mario Valladares, who has 10 goals after failing to score a year ago.

"A lot changed for Mario over the offseason," Barron said. "I told him that he needed to work on his skills of finishing and that he needed to concentrate more. I let him know that he didn't have a good year last season and that I expected more out of him.

"But now he is more determined. Every time he does something well, he yells at me and says, 'See, coach, I told you I could do it.' I love it when he does that."

Junior Nick Yasmin says his favorite moment this season came by way of Valladares.

"We were playing Calabasas for the first time this year, and they tied the score at 1-1 late in the game," Yasmin said. "With only a couple minutes left, Mario scored a big goal for us, and we ended up winning 2-1."

Yasmin has also been an offensive force for MHS. He was previously a goalkeeper for the Musketeers, but Barron decided to move him to the field.

"I love to have (Yasmin) in goal because he's very good there, but our backup, Nick Pardo, has done amazing work," Barron said.

"Due to that, I can freely use Yasmin anywhere on the field, and wherever he plays he does a good job for us."

Other Moorpark players that have pitched in include sophomores Juan Ortiz and Diego Calix, juniors Angel Espinoza and Alex Tucker, and seniors Sergio Calix and McKenna.

Freshmen Quinton Anson, Junior Hernandez and Cody Hymann have also played well.

"We've been lucky to have three outstanding freshmen this year," Barron said. "Hernandez is a starting striker for us; Hymann starts at outside halfback, and Anson has an important role off the bench."

Moorpark closes out the regular season with games at Westlake (Tuesday) and at home against Thousand Oaks (Thursday).

If Moorpark finishes the season deadlocked with Newbury Park, the Panthers would get the final playoff spot due to Moorpark losing one game and tying another during their head-to-head meetings.

Yasmin said the squad is taking it one game at a time.

"I've been with this team for three years and I've never been to the postseason, so making it would mean everything to me," Yasmin said.

"The team is optimistic that we can make it, and we know the opportunity is there. At the same time, we also know there's a lot of work to be done, and we need to come out playing hard every game."