ALL-ORANGE COUNTY BOYS SOCCER TEAM 2021-22

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Eddie Villeda, Servite, Sr.

Eddie Villeda was the captain for Servite’s soccer team this season.

Not a vocal guy, Villeda decided he would lead by example. And what an example he set.

Villeda led the Friars to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship and the CIF Southern California Regional Division I championship. He was chosen the Trinity League MVP and CIF-SS Division 1 player of the year.

Add to all of that, Villeda is the Register’s Orange County boys soccer player of the year.

Villeda scored 20 goals in 26 games. Six of his goals were game-winners. He also had 23 assists.

Merrick Cook was Servite’s vocal leader, which is a common role for a senior goalkeeper like Cook. So Villeda took the other approach.

“I just wanted to show people what I could do on the field,” Villeda said.

He did plenty. A four-year varsity player, Villeda concluded his career as Servite’s all-time points leader with 121. The 23 assists this season are a school record for a season.

The 2021-22 season was one of huge accomplishments for the Friars, who finished 24-2-2 overall and won a ninth consecutive Trinity League championship (going 9-0-1). Servite beat JSerra on penalty kicks in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game. Villeda scored the first penalty kick goal for Servite.

For Villeda, the Southern California Regional championship was the highlight.

The Friars defeated San Pasqual of 2-1 in the Division I final. Villeda assisted on the winning goal scored by Daniel Gutierrez. He also assisted on the other Servite goal.

“It was the first time Servite won that,” Villeda said of the regional title. “That was one of our main goals. We always talked since freshman year about winning CIF (Southern Section) and then after we accomplished that we wanted to keep going.”

Another highlight for Villeda was a 2-0 win over Huntington Beach in the CIF-SS semifinals that avenged a regular-season loss to the Oilers by the same score. Villeda scored the first goal in the semifinals victory.

“We always had that mentality that we were going to win,” said Villeda, who signed with UC Santa Barbara. “We just seemed more confident that any other team out there.”

Servite coach Eddie Soto said Villeda was impressively consistent.

“He was not just a great goal scorer, but also a great assist guy,” Soto said. “He was a guy who could take over a game when you needed him to do that. But his best trait is how humble he is.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

Eddie Soto, Servite

Servite’s boys soccer team won the Trinity League championship, the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship and the CIF Southern California Regional Division I championship.

As JSerra boys soccer coach Erik Kirsch said, “It’s hard to win all three.”

For leading the Friars to that trifecta, Servite’s Eddie Soto is the Register’s Orange County boys soccer coach of the year.

Servite won the Trinity League title with a 9-0-1 record. The Friars beat league rival JSerra 2-1 on penalty kicks in the CIF-SS Division 1 final. They went to win the Southern California Regional title with a 2-1 win over San Pasqual of Escondido, giving Servite its first boys soccer regional title.

The Friars finished 24-2-2 in Soto’s second season as their coach. His overall record at Servite is 39-5-2.

Soto also is the men’s soccer coach at Cal State Dominguez Hills. He was a CIF-SS player of the year at Cerritos High and played at Cal State Fullerton, where he was a two-time All-American and later an assistant coach.

ALL-COUNTY TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

Eddie Villeda, Servite, F (Player of the Year)

Merrick Cook, Servite, Sr., GK: Cook was the Trinity League defensive MVP and an All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 selection. The Cal State Northridge signee was spectacular all season, especially in the playoffs. The Friars won the CIF-SS Division 1 championship with a 2-1 win over JSerra in the final.

JT Danks, Servite, Sr., Defender: Danks was an All-CIF Division 1 selection. The Cal State Northridge signee was a crucial component to the Friars, who allowed only three goals over their six postseason wins.

Ramses Esquival, Godinez, Sr., Forward: The high-scoring forward was the Golden West League player of the year. The Grizzlies went undefeated in league and advanced to the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinals.

Justin Faison (15) of Servite gets past Tyler Stewart (9) of JSerra during a Trinity League boys soccer game at Servite High School in Anaheim on Wednesday, January 12, 2022. Servite won the game 4-0. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Justin Faison, Servite, Sr., Defender: Faison was named to the All-CIF Division 1 team and All-Trinity League team. He helped Servite allow only seven goals in 10 league games and only 20 goals in 28 games overall.

Reid Fisher, Huntington Beach, Sr., Defender: Fisher was an All-CIF Division 1 selection. The San Diego State signee helped the Oilers go undefeated in the Wave League and advance to the Division 1 semifinals.

Misael Gonzalez-Lopez, Fullerton, Sr., Forward: Gonzalez-Lopez was MVP of the Marina Winter Classic and was chosen to the All-CIF Division 1 team.

Villa Park’s Saul Maldonado tries to block a kick by JSerra’s Sean McTague in the CIF-SS Division 1 boys soccer quarterfinals at JSerra High school Friday, February 18, 2022. JSerra won 1-0. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

Sean McTague, JSerra, Sr., Forward: McTague was the Trinity League offensive MVP and a key contributor for the Lions, who reached the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final.

Nico Rudisill, JSerra, Sr., Midfielder: Rudisill was selected to the All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 first team.

Sawyer Sachen, Aliso Niguel, Sr., Forward: Sachen was chosen to the All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 team. The Wolverines advanced to the Division 1 quarterfinals and went undefeated in the Sea View League.

Mathias Brown, Sunny Hills, Jr., Forward: Brown, who was also an outstanding kicker in football, was named the CIF-SS Division 3 player of the year after leading the Lancers to the division championship.

SECOND TEAM

Alex Avila, San Juan Hills, Sr., Defender

Oswaldo Becerra, Santa Ana, Jr., Defender

Rocco Bon, JSerra, Sr., Forward

Reagan Heslin, JSerra, Jr. Midfielder

Daniel Kotkosky, Huntington Beach, Sr., GK

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Anthony Majorin, San Juan Hills, Sr., GK

Cole Monach, San Juan Hills, Sr., Forward

Nico Medina, El Dorado, Jr., Midfielder

Jerry Mejia, Sunny Hills, Sr., Defender

Diego Penaloza, Santa Ana Valley, Sr., Defender

Marck Rayo, Villa Park, Sr., Forward