Men’s Soccer Nabs Pair of Top Honors as All-Conference Teams Announced
TORRANCE, Calif. --- Sophomore Mario Carlos and freshman Donovan Palomares were named the Co-Offensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Year respectively as the All-South Coast Conference teams were announced on Thursday.
Along with two of the top individual honors, the Warriors had six other players selected to the All-SCC, South Team with three selections apiece on the first and second teams.
Carlos was named the SCC Co-Offensive Player of the Year Award after leading the conference with 13 goals and 35 total points. He tallied nine assists, which led the Warriors on the season. Overall, Carlos is ranked tied for ninth in the state in goals scored and tied for sixth in total points. Carlos split the player of the year award with Pablo Caparelli of Cerritos.
Palomares had an outstanding debut season for the Warriors as the keeper played and started in 18 of the team's 20 matches during the regular season. He posted seven shutouts (four solo) and played 1,477 minutes. He posted a 0.67 goals against average and made 47 total saves while posting a 15-2-1 overall record during the season. At one point during the year, Palomares went 473:35 in net without allowing a goal, recording five straight clean sheets (three solo) in the process. He split the goalkeeper of the year award with Steven Ruiz of Cerritos.
Brandon Galindo, Haruki Utsumi and Jovaughn Cole were all named to the All-SCC South First Team while Carson Nguyen, Andy Cabrera and Bogart Roca were all named to the All-SCC South Second Team.
Galindo was the only Warriors player to nab his second straight selection to the first team. He missed the first two games of the season and then entered the game as a substitution in the third match. After that, he started in every game on the back line for a stellar Warriors defense. He also tallied one goal and four assists on the season while being the team captain and anchor on the back line.
Utsumi made the All-SCC Team for the second straight year after earning a spot on the second team as a freshman in 2021. He played in every game this season for the Warriors and made 19 starts on the back line. The sophomore was tied for fifth on the team with four goals, the majority of those coming on brilliant headers off corner kicks.
Cole played in 19 matches for the Warriors and made 17 starts in the midfield. He scored two goals and added one assist on the season and was a major pace-setter from the midfield, putting extensive pressure on the opposition's back lines.
Nguyen earned his second straight selection to the All-SCC Team after earning a spot on the first team last season. In 2022, Nguyen played in all 20 matches and made 19 starts for the Warriors. He notched three goals and added four assists.
Cabrera was another sophomore who made his second straight appearance on the All-SCC Team after a first-team selection in 2021. The forward was second on the team in goals (7), assists (5) and total points (19).
Roca rounded out the Warriors' selections with a second-team nod. The freshman played and started in 19 matches this season and was a staple on the right side of the back line for the Warriors defense, pushing the pace on offense when needed and handling opposing wingers on the defensive end.