Yordan Rivera can’t help but smile — what seems as wide as a soccer goal mouth — when he reveals the events that took place in his living room last month.

The Bothell High junior soccer player and fellow Colombian Freddy Montero of Seattle Sounders FC engaged in a juggling competition with a mini soccer ball. Rivera kept things close, but Montero won in the end. Rivera assures that no vases or other fragile items were harmed in the match.

Carol on the “Brady Bunch” may have warned her kids to not play ball in the house, but Rivera’s mom apparently was fine with it during Montero’s stay in the family home.

Rivera and his mom were then on hand when Montero stepped foot onto his new Qwest Field digs March 19 and scored two goals in the Sounders’ 3-0 thrashing of the New York Red Bulls in the Seattle squad’s Major League Soccer debut.

“We went nuts after the first goal,” Rivera said after practice last Wednesday. “He gave me the inspiration that I can make it someday. I can represent my country, if God lets me.”

Rivera adds about Montero’s impact during his Northshore visit: “He taught me modesty gets you everywhere … and humility. Work hard and always just be competitive.”

Those are qualities the Bothell High soccer team will be working on during its 4A Kingco campaign this spring.

The Cougars had kicked out to a 1-1-1 4A Kingco record and 2-2-1 overall record at the Reporter deadline. They’re coming off an interesting, exciting year when the team finished 5-5 in league, but won some big games late in the season to qualify for the state tournament. Bothell ended up 10-10 overall and lost in the first round at state.

Juniors like midfielder Rivera, goalkeeper Shane Lervold, forward Alan Villavicencio and defender Ryan Schroeder should lead the way for Bothell, which features impact newcomers like sophomore midfielder Alex Gosselin and defender Jeff Smith.

“We are still a young team, but we do have the talent to make some noise in Kingco. However, Kingco continues to prove to be the toughest league in the state. Every game is a dog fight and anyone can beat anyone,” said 10th year Cougar coach Alex Zahajko.

Added Villavicencio: “We need to communicate more to really lift up our game.

“We’ve got a Kingco championship in the back of our minds. After each practice, we put our hands together and whisper, ‘Kingco on three.’”

Lervold began playing ball with Villavicencio at Skyview Junior High, and the two are now FC Alliance select teammates. They know each other well on and off the field, and nod at each other’s comments about the squad.

Villavicencio agrees when last year’s first-team all-Kingco sophomore goalkeeper offers: “I just need to stay positive, not get mad at people … keep it cool.”

After all, it’s a goalie’s job to round up the troops and get the team rolling vocally — and by making stellar saves.

In return, the netminder knows his forward pal needs to run the show up front. Zahajko calls Villavicencio a “workhorse” — Lervold says the guy “can run forever.”

The guys say that coach Zahajko keeps them on their toes, as well, kind of like the 12th man on the scene.

“He always wants you to be intense. He brings heart, and he wants you to be into the game — all the time,” Lervold said.

And it doesn’t hurt to have Rivera telling his tales about his professional friend, his Colombian counterpart.

But Rivera is perhaps most proud of what the Cougars achieved last season in thrilling fashion.

“Our team showed that you can accomplish anything,” said Rivera, whose Crossfire team recently won the state select title. “You need to fight through and beat the tough teams.”