Branson boys getting hot as playoffs begin

One might look at the Branson (Calif.) boys soccer team’s record and not take them very seriously, or wonder how they made the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs. The Bulls went 7-13-1, and 5-11 in the Marin County Athletic League. However, a closer examination shows a D-IV team playing in a league with mostly DII and DIII schools. It is also considered perhaps the second toughest league in the NCS. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the Bulls won four of their last five matches, with the only loss coming to Redwood, the top seed in the DII playoffs, meaning they are hot right now. Branson is the No. 5 seed and plays host to Healdsburg on Wednesday. A win would set them up for a possible rematch with No. 4 seeded Lick-Wilmerding, which beat the Bulls very early in the season. If the Bulls are able to make a run in the playoffs, these players will play a big role. [caption id="attachment_39179" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-39179" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/02/James-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> <strong>James Daly.</strong> <em>Photo: Craig Lind</em>[/caption] <strong>James Daly, Senior, Central Defender</strong> Daly, a captain, is Incredibly strong on the ball and in the air. As a center back he is one of the team’s leading scorers, as he gets forward on set pieces and takes the team’s penalties. He always leads by example and gives Branson a dominant physical presence on the field. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="7615" first="Finn" last="Dossey"], Junior, Keeper</strong> Dossey is a top-notch keeper. He reads the game beautifully and has been called on to make outstanding saves all season long that have kept Branson in games. He is great in distribution both with his feet and his hands and he works incredibly hard on his craft and always gives it his best effort at training and in games. He is a very courageous player and always puts his body in harm's way to protect his goal. [caption id="attachment_39178" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-39178" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/02/Aydin-300x214.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="214" /> <strong>Aydin Ulubay (5).</strong> <em>Photo: Craig Lind</em>[/caption] <strong>Aydin Ulubay, Senior, Central Defender</strong> Ulubay, another captain, is a great ball winner and passer. He can always be counted on to mark up the other team's No. 9 and starts the Bulls attack with his superb passing skills. Those attributes are great, but his real gift is leadership. He always remains positive no matter the situation and is the true spirit of the Bulls team. <strong>Connor Williams, Senior, Midfielder</strong> Williams is a great ball winner and a great distributor of the ball. He leads the team in assists and has scored some top-class goals for Branson this season. He is very strong in the tackle and very hard to get off the ball. In addition, he is a wonderful role model for the younger players in terms of how to play the game. Williams is what his coach Tom Ryan calls a true sportsman.