SEEDED TEAMS
1. Millikan – The Rams had a 16-game unbeaten streak going until they ended the season with a pair of losses, one to Jordan and the other to Cabrillo of Long Beach. During that 16-game span that stretched from Dec. 26-Feb. 4, the Rams posted nine shutouts and averaged scoring 2.7 goals per game.
First-round opponent: El Rancho, Del Ray #3
2. Aliso Niguel – The Wolverines are very experienced with 14 seniors on the roster and capable of creating plenty of scoring chances. Coach Randy Dodge describes this team as “a handful,” and that is true. They are in every game, and went through Sea View League play without losing a match, winning four and tying four. Dodge, too, hasn’t been shy about using subs either. He played 18 guys against Trabuco Hills earlier this month. “And they all contributed,” he said. While the Wolverines are loaded with veterans this season, a sophomore has become the Wolverines’ leading scorer. Aidan Marmain has knocked in 10 goals this season. Solid goal keeping is also Aliso strength this season. Against Trabuco a couple of weeks ago, Michael Suchy came up with a couple of clutch saves to preserve a 1-1 tie against the Mustangs.
First-round opponent: Winner of Palm Desert/Summit wild-card game.
3. Santa Ana – Scoring goals is not a problem for the Saints this season. In four of their last five Golden West League games, the Saints scored no less than four goals. The lone exception was a 1-0 loss to Loara in the season finale. However, having wrapped up the league championship the week before, Coach Joe Penaflor rested several starters, including Oscar Navarro, who has scored 18 goals this season. That loss at Loara, ended the Saints’ seven-game league unbeaten streak. Lost in all of Santa Ana’s goal scoring is a solid defense. That goal Loara scored was only the fourth goal that the Saints gave up during league. And seven of Santa Ana’s 10 Golden West league matches ended in a shutout. “Everybody likes to have undefeated league and you talk about that, but the bigger picture now is CIF. And I have gotten some guys some rest and we have a good week to prepare for our first game.”
First-round opponent: Bell Gardens, Almont #3
4. Sunny Hills – So what’s new? A Mike Schade coached team plays shut-down defense. The Lancers might not have been as stingy as in the past, having posted only four shutouts during Freeway League play. But they are still plenty tough to score on, having allowed only three of their 23 opponents to score more than one goal. The Lancers finished the regular season with a plus-29 goal differential thanks in part to Gilbert Sotello, who leads the team with eight goals.
First-round opponent: Winner of the Segerstom/Long Beach Poly wild-card game
OTHER FIRST-ROUND GAMES INVOLVING COUNTY TEAMS
Colton (Sunkist #2) at Loara (Golden West #2); Trabuco Hills (Sea View #3) at La Quinta/La Quinta (Desert Valley #1); Magnolia (Orange #3) at JW North (Inland Valley #1); Esperanza (Crestview #2) at Century (Orange #2); Schurr (Almont #2) at Laguna Hills (Sea View #2); Sonora (Freeway #2) at La Serna (Del Rio #2); Troy (Freeway #3) at Anaheim (Orange #1); Rancho Verde (Inland Valley #2) at Foothill (Crestview #1)
OC PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manuel Acosta (Magnolia, Jr., F); Eduardo Chavez (Anaheim, Jr., F); Tyler DeJianne (Esperanza, Sr., MF); Paul Diaz-Flores (Anaheim, Sr., MF); Erik Flores (Foothill, Sr., F); Griffin Grimes (Foothill, Sr., F); Jose Luis Hernandez (Century, Sr., D); Sion HIckey (Laguna Hills, Sr., MF); Archie Lopez (Sunny Hills, Sr., D); Aidan Marmain (Aliso Niguel, So., F); Miguel Moreno (Loara, Sr., F); Kendrick Nguyen (Trabuco Hills, Sr., F); Ryan Nyberg (Aliso Niguel, Sr., F); Andrew Pascual (Aliso Niguel, Sr., MF); Amirgy Pineda (Century, Sr., MF); Francisco Santana (Anaheim, Jr., MF); Gilbert Sotello (Sunny Hills, Sr., MF); Michael Suchy (Aliso Niguel, Sr., GK); Eli Rico-Torres (Sonora, Sr., MF/F); Daniel Yo (Sunny Hills, Sr., D)
