Top 5 Goals – Boys High School Season 2024-2025 – Part 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>USE THE PROMO CODE almasin30 for a discount on your first subscription</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In my first year as a Prep Soccer Scout, I was able to capture some sensational goals during the high school season. Here are my top 5 goals for the Boys NorCal season, starting from the beginning of the season and moving on down towards the end of league competition. Later highlights will be on the section tournaments as well as the NorCal and possibly SoCal tournaments (essentially equivalent to a state championship). I want to give thanks to all the high school athletic directors and coaches for having me feature their teams and players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The match was played on 1-22-25. It featured the Branham Bruins (4-4-1) against #60 in CA (1st), the Westmont Warriors (5-2), at 7pm. Westmont won the match 3-0. Westmont ended their season in 1st place with a league record of 11-2-1 and an overall record of 15-6-1. This was my third match of the boys high school season. The best part aside from their team accomplishments is the backstory of my connection to the coaches. I was an assistant men's coach at De Anza College, and Matt Schembri (HC - Westmont) was one of the star players who eventually played at San Jose State. Also, Chris Olmos (Assistant Coach) was one of our coaches at our Prep Soccer Girls ID Camp: NorCal 2024. Also, Danny Kadah (HC - Branham) was also an assistant coach at De Anza.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":277811,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kota Brown","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Westmont","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Los Gatos United","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67f6e7adf1979"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Played primarily as a center-mid, but pushed up at times as a forward.  He used his size and athleticism to his advantage when attacking the box.  He is a smart player who anticipates where his teammates and opponents are and makes quick and decisive passes.  Whenever he pushed the attack, opposing players tried to break his possession.  One of his strengths was to do one-two passes with other players to create space or make runs at the goal.  Brown had an awesome goal as he scored his team's 3rd goal in which 4 different players had touches before he scored on a beautiful angled run into the penalty area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Goal #1 - Wait for it! - Awesome combinations and Goal by Kota Brown of Westmont High School.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1882284012091421118">https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1882284012091421118</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":277810,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Sebastien Aranda","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Westmont","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='278033' first='MVLA' last='ECNL'] U19","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67f6e7adf1a2a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One of the most technically skilled players at his age group.  Aranda has a smooth first touch, quick ball release, accurate passing, and great vision for the game.  Although he played the left wing position, most passes were set up from his side and he consistently took on his defender and made precise passes up the field and through the lanes.  He had a great curving goal and he also was part of the 3rd goal combination.  Sebastien is looking at possibly playing D1 soccer or he might get signed when he competes overseas in Europe during the summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Goal #2 - Awesome goal by Sebastien Aranda of Westmont High School.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1882294774327357873","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1882294774327357873 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Goal #3 - Great finish by Santa Clara HS Striker - #10 Santiago Martinez.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1882981198219337730">https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1882981198219337730</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":280792,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Patrick Mcguirk","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mountain View","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"MVLA 07B NPL","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67f6e7adf1ac3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Patrick had a really good game, both on defense and on offensive set plays.  The center back shut down many attacking runs in the half-space and near the 18-yard box.  He is a smart player who positions himself to cut off angled runs and he is not afraid to take on players in one on one challenges.  He communicated well with the other CB and at times he played a sweeper role in preventing the opposing striker from taking quality shots on goal.  His impressive play during the match was on a set piece in which he went up high to give his team the go-ahead goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Goal #4 - #16 - Patrick Mcguirk of Mountain View scored a spectacular goal to give his team a 2-1 lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1883020841082134910">https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1883020841082134910</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was one of the most anticipated matchups in league as well as in the CCS (Central Coast Section).  The Bellarmine Bells came in ranked as the #17th team in CA and holds the top rank in the CCS.  Both programs have had a lot of success in both their league and in CCS Championships.  The Mitty Monarchs won last season's NorCal championship and the Bells won it the year before.  Aside from it being the battle for 1st place in league play, playoff seeding implications are also on the line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Monarchs opened up the scoring when senior midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='8659' first='Seunghyun' last='Kim'] scored an awesome crossing header which just made it past the outstretched hands of the goalkeeper.  Both teams continued to make quality runs at the goal and the pace in which they played can only be compared to top level club matches.  The teams were stacked with players from ECNL and a couple of players from MLS Next teams.  Too many quality players on the same pitch is always a good thing, especially for fans, spectators, and the media.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Goal #5 - Top-Notch finish by [player_tooltip player_id='8659' first='Seunghyun' last='Kim'] of Mitty to take the lead 1-0 against Bellarmine.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1883224519365800018">https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1883224519365800018</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>USE THE PROMO CODE almasin30 for a discount on your first subscription</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1901345676673610217">https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1901345676673610217</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->