Southern California 2025’s show immense talent

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Five players from Southern California are incredibly talented, highly regarded and are sought after. All of this is for good reason. These five rising seniors are exceptional players. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='33306' first='Gavin' last='Allegaert'], Forward, Pateadores SC</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Allegaert is a true scoring threat up top. He is exceptionally talented with the ball at his feet, and moves well off the ball in addition. He can use both feet and use either one to put a strong shot on goal, he understands space and where to make runs and which space to occupy. He is creative, and operates in small pockets well, and where he really thrives is laying a ball off and then continuing his run to get on the end of a ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='33308' first='Avian' last='Gonzalez-Flores'], Central Defender, Total FA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gonzalez-Flores is a modern day center back, one that can possess, create and pick a pass. He breaks lines as he can play the ball on the floor with precision, or pop an accurate ball over the top. He's calm and collected on the ball, and is not afraid to possess as he can handle pressure. He can bring the ball up the pitch as he can play progressively. He's also a unique defender in that he's great at locking down an attacker and is especially good in the air, and as soon as he wins a ball he's ready to transition quickly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='63603' first='Kalani' last='Kunimura'], Defender/Defensive Midfielder, Pateadores SC</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kunimura is committed to play at the University of Pennsylvania, and what the coaches see in him is a kid who competes. He works hard, leaves it all on the pitch and plays to win. He's also versatile as he can play as a defender or a No. 6. He shows a dynamic element because he covers a lot of ground, up and down the pitch as well as touch line to touch line. He's excellent in a 1v1 situation as he usually wins, and he's great in the air. Where the ball is, that is where you will find him. He wins the ball and helps his team transition to attack quickly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Damien Soto, Defensive Midfielder, Total FA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Soto is a player that has caught the attention of the MLS community and has been on the radar for some time. He is a prototypical No. 6 in that he has range with both feet, can cover distance both short and far and has the agility and composure to get out of the tightest of situations. He has excellent feel for defenders around him as he is simply one of the best in pressure situations, making him almost impossible to press. He is certainly a player being pursued by colleges and professional acadamies.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":158819,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/01/Jake-Tatch-crop-512x337-1704977031.jpg?w=512" alt="" class="wp-image-158819" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: JSerra Catholic</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='79211' first='Jake' last='Tatch'], Forward, Pateadores SC</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tatch is a special player because he can score with service, he can create service or he can create for himself. Finding a way for the ball to end up in the net is his objective. He's not selfish as he will look to set his teammates up. He makes well-timed runs and will wear down a defense with how relentless he is. He is so good with the ball at his feet and so agile that he twists and turns defenders, and once he loses them, he gets off a rocket shot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->