Daily Pilot College Athlete of the Month: Diego Goni - Scoring

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Tony Altobelli

With a guy who scores as many goals as Vanguard University men’s

soccer standout Diego Goni, who better to idolize than San Francisco

49ers’ great Jerry Rice?

“Jerry Rice is the man,” Goni said with his modest Uruguayan accent.

“That’s one sport I’ve really enjoyed since I’ve been up here in America,

football.”

Goni has something in common with Rice, besides having the same number

of letters in his last name. They both find a way to score no matter what

the opposing team tries to do to stop him.”

The Daily Pilot College Athlete of the Month has scored 13 goals for

the Lions this season, bringing his school-record total to 47.

“True goal scorers are a rare commodity these days,” Lions Coach Dave

McLeish said. “I would have to say Diego is one of the best goal scorers

I’ve ever seen at any level.”

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior forward uses his years of soccer smarts

and has helped the Lions reach the NAIA Region II playoffs.

“It’s a different style of game here than back home in Uruguay,” Goni

said. “Here, it’s much faster and more physical, which was something I

had to get used to.”

Once he got used to it, the goalkeepers throughout the Golden State

Athletic Conference were no match to Goni’s skill.

Goni came to Vanguard after a nudge from a buddy. “I have a friend

living in Utah and he got me hooked up with Coach McLeish,” Goni said.

“It’s been great out here. All the big cities take a little getting used

to, however. Our entire country has three million people.”

Not blessed with world-class speed, Goni uses his lifelong knowledge

of the game and puts it to great use.

“I try to get in good position when the ball comes to me,” Goni said.

“I get a lot of my goals off cross-field passes. I’m always looking to

try to get faster.”

Unlike the States, soccer is a way of life to people in Uruguay. So

for Goni to play for his country on an under-17 national team, that says

a lot for his talent level.

“If he gets three scoring chances, he’ll cash in on at least two of

them,” McLeish said. “He’s a fantastic back-post player. Give him the

ball in the air near the back post and he’ll find a way to get it done.”

Sharing the scoring responsibilities with freshman speedster Esaul

Mendoza (Estancia High) has lowered Goni’s numbers. But the team has

improved, which is fine with him. Last year, Goni notched 17 goals and

dished out six assists to earn first-team All-GSAC honors and honorable

mention All-NAIA.

“As long as we keep winning, I don’t care how many goals I get,” Goni

said. “Of course, I like to score and that’s my main job, but I’d rather

not score and win than score a lot and lose.”

Goni, recently married to hometown sweetheart, Marianna, will graduate

this spring with a marketing degree. “I’m not sure what my plans are in

the future,” he said. “Right now, I’m thinking about the upcoming

playoffs and getting through with school.”

On top of being a soccer fanatic, Goni is also a movie buff. “I

recently got one of those DVD players, so I watch movies all the time,

now,” Goni proudly said. “If I’m not watching movies, I like hanging out

with friends and doing whatever.”

Sounds like the American lifestyle fits Goni just fine.