Players who will impact CCS Open Divisions
In this article:
The Central Coast Section’s Open Division will see play resume on Wednesday, after a thrilling quarterfinal round on Saturday. Four teams from each the girls and boys sides will face off for a shot in the Finals. GIRLS The girls…
Access all of Prep Soccer
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Central Coast Section’s Open Division will see play resume on Wednesday, after a thrilling quarterfinal round on Saturday. Four teams from each the girls and boys sides will face off for a shot in the Finals.
GIRLS
The girls bracket almost went chalk, with four of the top five seeds making it as the only “upset” was St. Ignatius going on the road to beat Leigh 1-0. Though SI winning is not a surprise and is really hard to consider an upset when you think about all the talent that team has. Top-seeded, and the No. 2 ranked team in the State, Saint Francis made it through after a 3-1 win over Los Altos while Mountain View and Menlo-Atherton make up the No. 2 v. No. 3 matchup.
Here are some players from the girls Open Division to keep an eye on this Wednesday.
Penelope Correa Penelope Correa M Saint Francis | 2026 State CA , Saint Francis, Freshman, Midfielder
Correa is a precocious young lady, making the varsity team as a freshman for one of the top programs in the State. Penelope has good size for a freshman, she’s strong and she is a very good scorer from the midfield.
Gracie Couden, St. Ignatius, Senior, Midfielder
Couden is a versatile player in the midfield for the Wildcats, and generally she plays the holding spot. She takes pride in protecting her back line, making attacking players work hard to get by her which is not easy. She’s also very calm and good with the ball at her feet as she can switch the point of attack very quickly, using her vision and patience to get her team out of trouble.
Laila Edris Laila Edris null | M Mountain View | 2025 State CA , Mountain View, Sophomore, Midfielder
Edris is the creative playmaker for the Spartans. She makes a lot of defenders miss on the dribble and can serve the ball in with both feet from multiple angles. She may not be the biggest player, but judging her on her stature would be a mistake as she can play with pace and put a lot of power on her shots or balls she sends in.
Dina Frenkel, St. Ignatius, Junior, Keeper
You will not out work her. Period. No keeper in Northern California wants to keep the other team from scoring more than Frenkel does. And she’s good at keeping clean sheets, securing eight of them this season, and also had eight other matches where the opposition only scored one goal. She closes down angles quickly, and reacts instantly if she sees an attacker is going to get in. She has great instincts, and makes great saves either protecting the corners of her net, or with her legs when she comes out. She makes great decisions, she is fearless and a leader.
Charlotte Kohler Charlotte Kohler M St. Francis-Mountain View (CA) | 2024 State #17 Nation CA , Saint Francis, Junior, Midfielder
Kohler is a very important, dynamic and versatile player for the Lancers. The junior is already committed to Stanford and she generally features as a midfielder, but can also play in wide positions if need be. She’s a special talent who is very good technically, has great vision and has the ability to control the game from the midfield.
Landen Matthews Landen Matthews F CA , Saint Francis, Senior, Forward
Matthews is a wide player for the Lancers, generally playing the No. 11, and the TCU commit is a tough matchup for any outside defender. She is very quick and hard to defend in space. She can push the ball out in front and beat her mark to it, getting around with ease. She also attacks balls in the box with ferocity. She makes well-timed runs, she can finish with either foot and she’s also good about sending the ball into the box for her teammates to attack.
Sophie Murdock Sophie Murdock 5'7" | D St. Francis-Mountain View (CA) | 2024 #103 Nation CA , Saint Francis, Junior, Central Defender
Murdock will be joining her teammate, Kohler, at Stanford in 2025, as she is a top flight center back. She can truly do it all. She can defend 1v1 with the best of them, as she is very hard to break down. She will usually win an aerial dual, and she is also very good with the ball in the air when attacking a corner, scoring several headers. Not only that, but she is very proficient with the ball at her feet and can push up in attack.
Gianna Nurisso Gianna Nurisso 5'3" | D Saint Francis, Mountain View, CA | 2025 State #268 Nation CA , Saint Francis, Sophomore, Central Defender
Nurisso, the De Anza Force 07 ECNL player, partners with Murdock as the center back pairing and they compliment each other well. Nurisso has great strengths and takes pride in protecting her team’s goal. Nurisso is very good in the air and she is excellent in 1v1 situations. She also has the ability to send in crosses from outside the box to the attacking players.
Kamryn Rosa, Saint Francis, Sophomore, Forward
Rosa, who has a sister on the team who is a senior, is a high level club player as she plays for the De Anza Force 06 ECNL team. She has a nose for goal and can put the ball away. She is very strong and is not easy to knock off the ball.
Kaya Rosa Kaya Rosa F CA , Saint Francis, Senior, Attacking Midfielder
Rosa is very good in tight spaces and transitions very quickly to apply pressure to the defense. She’s great with short, quick passes. She is very fast when she moves and plays outside as well, just as quick getting down the flank and peppering balls into the box as she is distributing in the final third as a No. 10. She is not afraid to make a challenge and is good at winning 50/50 balls.
Karena Shah, Mountain View, Junior, Striker
Shah is relentless in her pressure of center backs. She is so quick and so persistent that she consistently beats people to 50/50 balls and then will start to transition the offense with pace. She flies down the flank and can cross a ball into the box or create a diagonal run and allow her teammates to split defenders and then Shah will continue her run, oftentimes scoring goals with a quick 1-2 touch tap in goal. She is technically gifted, she is fast and fearless.
Kate Stone, Mountain View, Senior, Outside Defender
Stone is committed to Johns Hopkins, and she is the best 1v1 defender for the Spartans. She makes excellent decisions, and her thought process is lightning quick. She is calm and collected both mentally and physically, rarely giving the ball away. She can also get into the attack, making overlapping runs and gets in behind the opposing backs to serve the ball in.
Josie Tunney, St. Ignatius, Junior, Striker
She is a true goal scorer. Tunney is an absolute force moving forward. She is so fluid with her movements, and graceful in the attack that you don’t realize how fast she is. She’s also tall and strong and will take on defenders. She can hold up play when needed, or she can take on defenders and create a goal for herself. She is a very dynamic No. 9.
Susie Wagstaff, Menlo-Atheton, Senior, Outside Defender
Wagstaff is a key for the Bears. She leads the way by example and her teammates follow her because of how hard she works and how much heart she has. That’s not the only reason she’s played a huge role in getting the Bears here, as she scored the game-winning goal against Mitty.
BOYS
This bracket almost went completely chalk with three of the top four moving on, but No. 7 seed Mountain View had other plans, upsetting No. 2 Saint Francis in penalties. Amongst the top seeds that moved on is top-seeded Alisal which hasn’t lost since December 8 and has won 16 matches in a row.
Andres Avila, Alisal, Sophomore, Keeper
Avila is team-first player, sharing first team reps with Alexis Garcia (see below). Avila is a very talented keeper who can do everything you need a keeper to do. He reads the attack well, he stops shots and he communicates with his back line very well.
Eduardo Caballero Eduardo Caballero D CA , Mountain View, Senior, Central Defender
Caballero is a very fast defender. He can make up for any sort of mistake with his speed and get back to shut down the attack. But he doesn’t make many mistakes. He is a very solid defender in all facets.
Ronaldo Corona, Alisal, Junior, Central Defender
Corona has been solid in the back all year for the Trojans, not missing a game and playing almost every minute. Corona has learned a lot this season, becoming more aware of the game around him and seeing the angles and making the reads. Corona is also a very good communicator and that helps him and his center back partner stay out of trouble.
Alexis Garcia, Alisal, Junior, Keeper
Garcia has been in a time-share with Avila but has not complained, had worked hard and works well with his fellow keeper. He is a talented keeper who works hard, who communicates with his back line, and takes charge while stopping shots and cutting down angles.
Bryan Kim Bryan Kim GK CA , Mountain View, Senior, Central Defender
Kim is the leader and captain of the Spartans defense. He is a three-year starter, and is a great defender 1v1, he is good in the air and with the ball at his feet.
Henry Mendoza, Alisal, Senior, Central Defender
Mendoza, along with his partner Corona, helped the Trojans to a school-record 15 clean sheets this season. Mendoza reads the game very well, seeing the angles an attacker could use and uses his instincts to shut it down. He’s good at assessing what is his responsibility and responding quickly to that. He also leads by being a good communicator.
Sola Nishimura, Mountain View, Junior, Central Midfielder
Nishimura is quite a force. Not only is he an engine that never stops, but he is the team’s leading scorer, doing so from the central midfield. As a No. 8, he reads the game well, he is a great passer but also tracks back to defend.
Johnny Palominos, Mountain View, Senior, Central Midfielder
Palominos is a center mid along with Nishimura. He leads the team in assists from the midfield as the two No. 8’s make up a lot of goals and assists. He is a very shifty midfielder who dribbles the ball very well and he always seems to find the way to get the ball in the right spot with a precise pass for the attacking players.