El Camino, Pasadena Stand Out As SCC Men's Soccer Races Begin
El Camino College, ranked #2 on this week's CCCSIA State Top 20 poll, and #8 Pasadena City are each considered frontrunners as men's soccer's most competitive league among California Community Colleges--the South Coast Conference--starts its 2025 conference schedule next week.
Last year, the SCC had the top four seeds for the SoCal Regional Playoffs in #1 Long Beach City, #2 Mt. San Antonio, #3 El Camino and #4 Cerritos.
The Warriors are 5-2-3 overall, but have the third highest power points ratings in the state, which determine postseason seedings, at 2.45. ECC has a tie v. state #2 rated Santa Monica, a win over #17 Norco, a tie v. #16 Cypress, and a recent loss v. #6 San Bernardino Valley that snapped the squad's 7-game undefeated streak (4-0-3).
The 2-time defending SCC South Division champion, ECC returns All-SCC Second Team midfielder Joshua Zendejas and have a top scorer in Jaden Hancock, who has five goals and five assists.
State #20-ranked Cerritos (6-3) is expected to challenge El Camino after knocking of #17 Norco last week, 4-1. The Falcons have losses v. defending 3C2A state champ and current #10 Cuyamaca, #15 Taft and #19 Fresno City. Cerritos is paced by two players tied for the SCC scoring lead with 16 points each in Gustavo Arias and Christian Ramirez.
Long Beach has had a tough start at 2-4-3 including a losses to San Bernardino and Norco after an early season victory over Cypress. The Vikings will try to snap a stunning 6-game winless streak (0-3-3) next week. LBCC returns All-SCC Second Team defender Robert Orozco.
LA Harbor (3-4-2) returns All-SCC First Teamer Danny Gonzalez, who already has three goals and a conference-best seven assists. Compton (3-5) returns All-SCC Second Team goalie Allesandro Martinez.
In the SCC North, Pasadena has emerged as one of the top teams with the best start to a season in program history at 7-0-3. On the heels of a 10-game undefeated streak, the Lancers are No. 3 in SoCal power points. Leading the squad are a couple of talented freshmen in Julian Zuniga (five goals) and Solemon Alveno-Donofrio (four goals, three assists).
Mt. San Antonio (3-2-3), winners of the last eight consecutive SCC North titles, figure to challenge again for the championship. The unranked Mounties handed #12 Oxnard its only loss this season, 4-2, on Sept. 16. Mt. SAC is led by two returning All-SCC Second Teamers in Joseph Prado and John Jay Joseph.
East Los Angeles is 4-2-4 and paced by returning All-SCC Second Team defender Vitor Macias, Los Angeles City (3-3-4) bring back All-SCC Second Teamer Quetzalcoatl Tlatenchi, and Rio Hondo has an All-Conference performer in Ignacio Fonseca.
After the 5-team divisions battle it out over a 9-game conference schedule, Rio Hondo is the host of this year's SCC Tournament championship match on Nov. 13.
Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID