Who is our preseason No. 1?
The schools on Treat Blvd know how to win. While De La Salle is the Bay Area News Group’s top-ranked boys soccer team, defending North Coast Section Division I champion Carondelet has also been selected as the top team on the girls side. Standouts such as Lauren Kenney, who scored 10 goals for last year’s champions, and Riann Juroff are back for their senior seasons. St. Francis, which bowed out in the second round of the NorCal tournament, could also challenge for the top spot this season. Carondelet’s toughest competition in the NCS comes from its own division, where teams such as San Ramon Valley, Dublin, Monte Vista and Amador Valley all boast talented teams in the East Bay Athletic League. Mountain View and defending NorCal D-II champion Leigh should also be some of the better teams in the region. And of course, Archbishop Mitty could very well regain the form that made it a four-time CCS Open Division champions from 2018 to 2021.
Early-season storylines
Carondelet and Monte Vista have alternated NCS D-I championships over the last four years, with Carondelet winning in 2019 and 2022, and Monte Vista taking the crown in 2018 and 2020 (There were no playoffs in the NCS in 2021). Carondelet and Monte Vista should yet again be the top two teams in the EBAL, but a school like Dublin should also challenge the two titans. Dublin was upset by California in the first round of the NCS D-I playoff last season but brings back talented seniors Summer Starsiak and Isabel Liu. Coach Jered Liu said this year’s team expects to compete for the section championship. Head-Royce coach Josie Chapman hopes senior center back Alex Barnell and senior wing Leila Forbord lead a team that is trying to compete for a top-eight seed in its division after going 12-4-2 last season and making it to the second round of the D-IV playoffs. In the CCS, Archbishop Mitty had a down year by its incredibly high standards after winning four straight CCS Open Division championships. The Monarchs bowed out in the first round of the CCS D-II playoffs. Last season, Mountain View went 12-0 in the Santa Clara Valley Atheltic League De Anza Division and was unbeaten until running into eventual NorCal D-I champions Oak Ridge in the semifinal. This season’s Spartans team will try to repeat their regular season success and make a long postseason run. Meanwhile, Leigh will try to follow up its magical NorCal Division II championship season with another strong campaign.
Players to watch
Allena Collins, St. Mary’s-Berkeley, CB, Sr.: St. Mary’s coach Manish Doshi said Collins is a talented defender who is “always keeping a positive outlook,” and will attend and play at NAIA University of Saint Mary in Kansas after graduation.
Ella Donohue, Christopher, GK, Jr.: As a sophomore, Donohue allowed only 20 goals in 17 games and delivered seven shutouts for a team that went 15-5-1 and won the NorCal D-IV championship.
Maddie Gambs, San Ramon Valley, GK, Sr.: Gambs proved herself to be a calm and collected shot-stopper for a 12-6-3 SRV team, allowing only 16 goals in 18 games and saving 57 shots. Gambs was credited with 10 shutouts.
Lauren Kenny, Carondelet, F, Sr.: The playmaker was a critical piece of Carondelet’s championship-winning side in 2021-22. She scored 10 goals and had four assists for a team that went 20-2-2 and won the NCS championship over Montgomery.
Audrey Lam, Piedmont, MF, Sr.: Piedmont coach Dan Chubbock highlighted Lam as one of his team’s true standouts for the upcoming season. She scored two goals last season and should have a solid senior year for a team expected to challenge for the West Alameda County Conference title.
Athena Lopez, Alhambra, DM, Sr.: One of the captains of the team and someone coach Andy Orbell called “technically gifted with the ball.” She is comfortable playmaking from the back, and her coach said Lopez’s aggressiveness “makes the team tick.”
Camryn Salazar, Acalanes, MF, Sr.: The two-year starter and University of the Pacific commit is a versatile attacker and someone her coach knows can make plays from the midfield and finish up front with poise. Salazar scored four goals and had five assists last season.
Summer Starsiak, Dublin, CB, Sr.: The four-year varsity player was a steady presence in the back for a solid Dublin team. Dublin coach Jered Liu called Starsiak the anchor of the defense and praised her athleticism and smarts as reasons she is able to cover for other teammates in the back.
Karena Shah, Mountain View, F, Jr.: Shah is only listed at 5-4 but doesn’t let her lack of size stop her from making plays on the pitch. She scored 15 goals and had five assists on a Mountain View team that won the NCS last season.
Josie Tuney, St. Ignatius, F, Jr.: It did not take long for Tuney to adjust to varsity play, with the then-sophomore scoring 13 goals and handing out six assists for an excellent SI team in 2021-22. Now a junior, Tunney should have an even better second season.
Murphy Walsh, Archbishop Mitty, MF, Soph: Walsh immediately established herself as a clinical finisher in front of the net, bagging 11 goals as a freshman. She scored almost a third of Mitty’s goals in 2021-22.
Bay Area News Group preseason Top 15
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
No. 1 CARONDELET (20-2-2 last season)
How it finished: Lost to St. Francis in the first round of the NorCal D-I playoff.
Next game: Dec. 9 at Clovis, 2:15 p.m.
No. 2 MOUNTAIN VIEW (22-1-1 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Oak Ridge in the NorCal D-I semifinal.
Next game: Dec. 3 at Pioneer, 3:30 p.m.
No.3 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (12-6-3 last season)
How it finished: Lost in the first round of the NorCal D-II playoffs.
Next game: Dec. 8 at Leland, 7 p.m.
No. 4 MONTE VISTA (13-1-4 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Granada in the first round of the NCS D-I playoff.
Next game: Dec. 7 at Vintage, 6 p.m.
No. 5 LEIGH (19-1-2 last season)
How it finished: Won the NorCal D-II championship by beating Granite Bay.
Next game: Dec. 3 at Branham, 6:15 p.m.
No. 6 ST. FRANCIS (15-2-5 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Buchanan in the second round of the NorCal D-I playoff.
Next game: Dec. 3 vs. Los Altos at Fremont-Sunnyvale, 5 p.m.
No. 7 SAN RAMON VALLEY (12-6-3 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Carondelet in the NCS D-I semifinal.
Next game: Dec. 2 vs American, 6 p.m.
No. 8 AMADOR VALLEY (8-1-8)
How it finished: Lost to San Ramon Valley in the NCS D-I quarterfinal.
Next game: Dec. 13 vs Foothill, 6 p.m.
No. 9 WOODSIDE (15-2-1)
How it finished: Lost to Archbishop Mitty in the CCS Open Division quarterfinal.
Next game: Dec. 5 vs Alisal, 6 p.m.
No. 10 DUBLIN (14-6-3 last season)
How it finished: Lost to California in the first round of the D-I playoff.
Next game: Dec. 7 vs. Clayton Valley Charter, 7 p.m.
No. 11 CHRISTOPHER (15-5-1 last season)
How it finished: Won the NorCal D-IV championship.
Next game: Dec. 3 at Palo Alto, 1:30 p.m.
No. 12 PIEDMONT HILLS (19-3-1 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Christopher in the CCS D-II championship.
Next game: Dec. 3 at Scotts Valley, 11:40 a.m.
No. 13 CAMPOLINDO (13-4-4 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Los Altos in the first round of the NorCal D-III playoff.
Next game: Dec. 6 at Casa Grande, 6 p.m.
No. 14 ACALANES (20-3 last season)
How it finished: Lost to University in the first round of the NorCal D-III playoffs
Next game: Dec. 6 at Oakland Tech, 6 p.m.
No. 15 LOS ALTOS (15-6-3 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Chico in the second round of the NorCal D-III playoff.
Next game: Dec. 3 vs. St. Francis at Fremont-Sunnyvale, 5 p.m.
Source: www.mercurynews.com