By MICHAEL COIT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Coming back strong from season ending injuries, Pedro Guevara was one of the West Region’s best in the former All-Empire soccer standout’s final season at Dominican University.
The midfielder from Montgomery High again led Dominican in goals, the last a game-winning score in the season finale. Starting every game, Guevara showed he was still a great playmaker despite sitting out a year with knee and wrist injuries.
Guevara was named to the All-West Region First Team, two years after earning third-team region honors.
“I am proud of Dominican and the person that it has helped me become here,” Guevara said. “It was such a great opportunity to come to college and make my family proud, knowing they are supporting me. … It’s been a blessing.”
Determined to finish his Dominican career on a high note, Guevara pushed to work back into the role of a team leader after missing last season to injury. Guevara was PacWest Preseason Player of the Year before the setback.
Starting all 18 games in 2012 signaled Guevara was fit for a final rigorous season. That he led Dominican with 12 goals — three game-winners — and was second in overall points was little surprise to his Penguins teammates.
The team leader in goal scoring all four of his seasons at Dominican, Guevara also paced the Penguins in points twice.
Dominican indeed has proven a good fit for Guevara. After enrolling at St. Mary’s out of high school, Guevara transferred to play for his former club soccer coach Jon Delano. Another draw was the promise of helping lead Dominican from NAIA into NCAA Division II.
Four seasons and 37 career goals later, Guevara said he made the right choice.
“I did want to play Division I but, in hindsight, Division II was definitely a better fit for me because of my body type, my size and the style of soccer that I like to play,” said the 5-foot-5, 145-pound midfielder.
In May, Guevara will be the first in his family to graduate from a four-year college, with a major in psychology. Dominican provided a great small-college setting to complete a bachelor’s degree, he said
“It worked out on both ends, in soccer and school,” he said.
