Bay Oaks 04/05 girls shows toughness

Grit. Determination. Effort. Toughness. These are words tossed about by the Bay Oaks 04/05 coach Alejandro Mendoza when referring to his girls.   And these attributes have led the team into third place in their National Premier League division, and reaching the top two and getting into the ECNL Regional League is within reach. The team has only lost five of its last 26 matches, meaning getting points in their final two matches before the break is very possible.   "They have intangibles and it is those things that keep them in games," Mendoza said. "They don't make excuses and they give it their all. They are gritty and feisty. They may not be the best soccer team on a given day, but they are competitors and they put it all out there for each other."   As Mendoza said, perhaps there is a talent gap on some days against some teams, but that doesn't mean that they aren't talented and they don't have college prospects. They certainly do.   Myah Polzin is one of them. She was a standout freshman at Berkeley High in 2020, scoring 18 goals and handing out 10 assists. She is big, strong, fast and fearless. She will be back from a torn ACL in a matter of weeks.   And after Polzin, here are seven other players to keep an eye on.   Nadia Barron, American Indian, Holding Midfielder   Barron is very versatile and can move around the pitch depending on the system Bay Oaks is playing. She usually plays holding midfield but can also play centrally. She has skills, both technically and athletically, and has a very precise shot from distance. For a midfielder, she has a great knack for goal and wants to score. She plays spring high school soccer at American Indian High School in Oakland.   Ila Cantrell, Encinal, Keeper   Cantrell is a keeper with very good size and she is great in the air. Not only because of her size, but because she is strong, fearless, and very coordinated. She keeps her balance well even when getting bodied and jostles. She stops shots well, reacts quickly and closes down angles well. She will be a senior at Encinal.   Ivon Escuen, Castlemont, Forward   Escuen, simply put, wants to score. She has an absolute nose for goal. Growing up in Mexico, she learned to play with a certain flare and a certain passion for creating goals. She is amazingly skilled and likes to put her skills on display. She plays high school at Castlemont in Oakland.   Raquel McCollum, Bishop O'Dowd, Holding Midfielder   McCollum really helps keep the team together defensively because she is organized and she is a very good ball-winner. She's good in the air as well and has an intense work rate. She is a player who leads by example in the midfield and should be a strong player for Bishop O'Dowd starting next month.   Sabine Meggyesy, Berkeley, Central Defender   Meggyesy is the type of player you want in your back four. She is tough, hard-nosed, strong-willed, refusing to get beat. She will not get outworked, she is chalked full of determination and embodies the intangibles of this Berkeley team. She plays center back for Berkeley High.   Angie St. Denis, Encinal, Forward   St. Denis plays the No. 11 spot and is very good out there. She is very, very fast and has everything you want of someone on the left wing. She can get by defenders with speed, is clever in 1v1 situations, can whip a ball into the box or can distribute and then slash into space and be an attacking threat in the area. She is fearless and relentless despite being a smaller player. She plays at Encinal High.   Claire Wong, College Prep, Central Defender   Wong is similar to Meggyesy in that you will not out-work her and she refuses to get beat. She is so hard-working, very fierce, and a relentless defender. She is very good about seeing angles and closing them and beating attackers to the spot. She is very intelligent and methodical in her defending. She plays high school at College Prep in Oakland.

Grit. Determination. Effort. Toughness. These are words tossed about by the Bay Oaks 04/05 coach Alejandro Mendoza when referring to his girls.