South Coast Men's Soccer Boasts 3 Of Top 4 In State Rankings
Already known as California's toughest men's soccer league, the South Coast Conference continues to impress already in the early going of the 2024 season.
Defending 3C2A state champion El Camino was voted #1 on this week's CCCSIA State Top 20 and is joined by Mt. San Antonio at #3 and Long Beach City at #4. All three teams are undefeated as of Sept. 17.
The three squads also are on the top 10 in the United Soccer Coaches national community college rankings with ECC on top, Mt. SAC #3, and LBCC at #7. Fourteen teams from the state are a part of that national poll's top 20.
El Camino (4-0-1) is currently on a 27-game undefeated streak, 26 of those wins, dating back to last season. The only tie was when state #9 Santa Monica limited the high-octane Warriors' offense to one goal in a 1-1 deadlock on Aug. 29.
ECC has scored five or more goals three times and is led once again by the state's returning leading scorer and the 2023 National Player of the Year in Marvin Gamez, who also was the SCC South Division Offensive Player of the Year. He was tied for the state lead with 13 points as of the time of this release.
ECC is the frontrunner again to win the SCC South but should get challenged by Long Beach (5-0). The Vikings, led by Jose Mariscal with five goals thus far, have posted three shutout victories.
Others in the South Division include Compton (3-1-1), paced by Edu Beltran with four goals, Cerritos (3-2) and led by returning All-SCC First Team selection Donovan Perez, and Los Angeles Harbor (3-3), which saw Danny Gonzalez score a hat trick in a loss to Glendale.
In the North, 7-time defending champion Mt. SAC is 5-0-2 to start the year, including a 0-0 tie v. #13 San Bernardino Valley and a 3-2 win over #18 MiraCosta. The Mounties bring back the SCC North Offensive POTY in Victor Fregoso.
Ranked #19 in the state, Pasadena City (4-2) has a talented scorer in Diego Lazo, who has five goals.
Los Angeles City is on a 4-match win streak, including a 2-1 win over usually tough LA Mission. The Cubs (4-2) are paced by returning All-SCC First Team defender Junior Vasquez.
East Los Angeles (2-4-1) has a top player in Xavier Villa (three goals) while Rio Hondo (0-5-1) has a misleading record as it has faced four state-ranked teams and earned its tie, 0-0, v. #6-rated Norco. The Roadrunners are paced by Sergio Lepe (two goals, one assist).
The 9-game, SCC regular season that determines the division titles begins in October, then the annual SCC Tournament is played Nov. 8-14.
Current SCC Statistical Leaders
Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID