Lifelong Friends Reunite on Soccer Field at SDSU
Aztecs stand to gain from two longtime teammates who always seem to know what the other is thinking.
“I think the genuine relationship they have is rooted in honesty. This allows them to have each other's best interests at heart on and off the field.”
In 2018, Tristan Weber was named the Gatorade Men's Soccer Player of the Year in California. In 2019, the award went to Blake Bowen. Both had graduated from San Clemente High School.
Now—after first suiting up together over 10 years ago as youngsters for United FC in Orange County—Bowen and Weber are together again as Division I student-athletes for San Diego State University.
"It's very unique to have players play together for so many years and then play in college together," head coach Ryan Hopkins said. "It's almost more often to see brothers do it."
In addition to playing together on United FC for seven years, the duo appeared together on two San Clemente All-Star teams…for baseball.
"Our relationship off the field began when we were very young," Bowen, one year younger, said. "Our families were very close and still are today. We would carpool to practice, have dinner after and hang out at each other's houses on the weekends."
All those hours together as kids have paid huge dividends on the pitch for the Orange County natives.
"We seem to always know where each other is on the field without looking and where we are going to pass the ball next without having to say a word to each other," Weber said. "It's something I have never seen in my lifetime except for with us."
The friends played together on United FC at ages 13 and 14, then went their separate ways when the team disbanded. Bowen joined West Coast FC and Weber went to play for the LA Galaxy Academy and then for the prestigious U.S. Men's National Team Residency Program. They wouldn't play on the same team again until Weber's senior year at San Clemente High, when he scored 15 goals and dished out 22 assists on his way to winning the Gatorade Player of the Year award and helping the Tritons advance to the CIF Southern Section Division I semifinals.
The following year, with Weber at the University of Portland, Bowen contributed 18 goals and 15 assists and helped the Tritons end the year on a 21-game unbeaten streak that included the South Coast League, CIF-SS Division 1 and CIF Southern California Regional titles.
Upon hearing Bowen had captured the Gatorade State Player of the Year award, Weber was thrilled.
"I was ecstatic for him," Weber said. "I found myself even more prideful of the award after not only a teammate of mine, but someone who I consider one of my best friends, had won it."
A highly rated recruit, Weber committed to the University of Portland where he would spend his freshman season, helping the Pilots reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament, before deciding to transfer. Bowen was closely monitoring Weber's recruitment and how it played out.
"[Weber's recruitment] allowed me to see what it was like and how to go about it," Bowen said. "He and his dad told me to pick a spot where I could be happy without soccer."
The Webers also introduced Bowen to the SDSU coaching staff, setting up their 2019 reunion.
When Weber decided to move on from Portland, SDSU was one of the first schools in mind. It was closer to his family in Orange County, he knew the coaches and the opportunity to suit up with Bowen again was enticing.
"Blake being at SDSU impacted my decision," Weber recalled. "I wanted to transfer to SDSU because of the relationship I had with [assistant coach] Josh Hill, and Blake going there definitely made my decision easier."
Similar in stature and playing style, they both offer new Aztec head coach Ryan Hopkins positional versatility. When asked to break down the other's game, they ooze compliments.
"Blake is the most competitive player on the field," Weber said. "He will beat you down the line or inside almost every time. He is very fast and will beat you one-on-one on offense or defense. He will beat you to almost any header and to any ball. He is a very good finisher inside the box as well."
Bowen on Weber's strengths: "His long balls and pings are very accurate. He has a wicked shot, great IQ on the field, speed with the ball and a fantastic first touch. He is great in set pieces and can use both feet at a high level. Off the field, he has a great work ethic and leads by example."
"I think the genuine relationship they have is rooted in honesty," Hopkins said. "This allows them to have each other's best interests at heart on and off the field."
In their first season together at SDSU, they combined to play nearly 2,000 minutes and start 20 matches. They both figure to play bigger roles for the Aztecs in the games to come.
