BOYS SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2023
 
 
CLASS 6A
 

 
 MOLELWA ABANDELWA, WICHITA SOUTHEAST
 
Abandelwa will try to build on an impressive junior season in which he scored a team-leading 15 goals and added six assists for the Golden Buffaloes. He’ll likely occupy the center forward position after earning All-Greater Wichita Athletic League second team and all-state honorable mention from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association.
 

AIDEN BOEHMER, OLATHE EAST
 
Boehmer earned All-State second team and All-Sunflower League first team last year. The senior forward has led Olathe East in scoring each of the past two seasons. The Hawks knocked off Blue Valley West in the opening round of the playoffs before falling to Shawnee Mission East in the next round.
 

GIL BROWN, GARDNER EDGERTON
 
Brown earned All-State honorable mention and All-Sunflower League first team honors. The senior midfielder scored 10 goals and dished out four assists. Brown's production and some development among other offensive players could give the Trail Blazers a great chance to improve upon the team’s 4-12-0 record from last season.
 

WESLEY CRIBB, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST
 
Cribb earned second-team All-Class 6A and first-team All-Sunflower League honors last year. The senior defender helped key the team’s six straight shutouts down the stretch, pushing the Lancers into the regional final. His team ultimately lost to Mill Valley 3-2 (5-4 PKs). Cribb also scored two goals last season.
 

SAM DELONG, OLATHE WEST
 
Delong earned All-State and All-Sunflower League first team honors last year. The senior defender played a key role in the Owls pitching 11 shutouts on the way to a state runner-up finish. Delong also had four goals and two assists.
 

 
 JADAN DENESONGKHAM, DERBY
 
Denesongkham provides an anchor for Derby’s back line with three seasons of starting experience – all of which produced Class 6A regional titles. A strong defender, fearless challenger and vocal leader, Denesongkham earned All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division I first-team and all-state honorable mention honors last fall as the Panthers finished 14-5.
 
 

ALEX EDEN, BLUE VALLEY WEST
 
Eden earned All-State honorable mention and All-EKL second team honors last year. The senior midfielder provided leadership for a team playing under a new head coach and needing to replace the production of 17 players who graduated in 2022. The Jaguars still found a way to win the EKL title. In addition to his defense, Eden also had one assist last year.
 

GRANT GARBERG, BLUE VALLEY NORTH
 
Garberg earned All-State second team and All-EKL first team honors last year. The senior forward helped lead Blue Valley North to an 11-5-2 season by scoring 15 goals and six assists.
 

DAVID GARCIA, DODGE CITY

Garcia dished out a team-high 19 assists last year as the Red Demons took third place in 6A and finished 20-1. The midfielder also notched six goals. He earned first-team Class 6A All-State honors from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association last year as a junior and was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference selection. 
 

MARCO HERNANDEZ, SHAWNEE MISSION WEST
 
Hernandez earned All-State and All-Sunflower League second team honors last year. The senior midfielder delivered four goals and six assists. Hernandez helped lead his team to a 14-4-1 record and third straight regional championship.
 

SERGIO HERNANDEZ, SHAWNEE MISSION WEST
 
Hernandez earned All-State second team and All-Sunflower League first team honors last year. The junior forward scored 15 goals and dished out eight assists. Hernandez is hoping he can help push this team back into the state quarterfinals for the fourth straight year, but then keep pushing for a chance at a state title.
 

ANGEL LOPEZ, DODGE CITY

Lopez recorded 27 goals last year, finishing one goal behind Aron Martinez for the team lead. He came up big in Dodge City’s 4-0 state quarterfinal win over Free State, scoring two goals. The Red Demons lost its bid for a perfect season in the semifinals with a 3-2 loss to Olathe West before regrouping to claim third place with a 2-1 win over Washburn Rural. Lopez was a first-team All-6A pick by the the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association and earned first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors.
 

 
BILLY LUTZ, TOPEKA HIGH
 
Lutz was named the Centennial League newcomer of the year last year, starting at goalkeeper for the Trojans as a freshman. He played the most minutes of any player on the team and finished the season with 68 saves. Lutz also earned second-team All-Centennial League honors and was an honorable mention All-City pick in Topeka.
 
 

ARON MARTINEZ, DODGE CITY

Martinez scored a team-high 28 goals to help the Red Demons notch 20 wins and finish third place in Class 6A. Martinez, now a senior, also ranked second on the team in assists with 15. He was a first-team All-6A pick Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State team. Martinez also earned first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors.
 
 

TREY MCKEE, OLATHE WEST
 
McKee earned All-State and All-Sunflower League first team honors last year. The senior midfielder paired well with now-graduated Braxton Arpachina as the team’s top distributors last season. McKee outpaced Arpachina by one assist to lead the team with 16 last season.
 

SUAIN MONCAYO, LIBERAL

Moncayo was limited to 11 games last year because of injuries but still made a big impact, scoring 12 goals. He has 15 goals and five assists over his first two seasons. Moncayo is a two-time All-WAC selection, earning first-team honors last year after being a second-team pick as a freshman in 2021. Liberal coach Carlos Ruiz said he’s looking forward to having Moncayo for a full season after he battled injuries as a freshman and sophomore, calling the junior forward a prolific player.
 
 

PHIL MUTANTIKA, SHAWNEE MISSION WEST
 
Mutantika earned All-State honorable mention and All-Sunflower League first team honors last year. The senior midfielder delivered four goals and five assists while helping the team go 14-4-1.
 

ISAAC NAVEJAR, KC HARMON
 
Navejar earned All-State honorable mention and All-Meadowlark first team honors last year. The senior forward scored a team-high 10 goals and dished out five assists, just one shy of team leader Ronny Munguia at six. Navejar helped lead Harmon to a 10-6-0 record last year.
 

 
CARTER OEHME, MANHATTAN
 
Oehme was the leading scorer for the Indians a year ago in leading them to a 5-9-3 record. Oehme’s 10 goals from his forward position were double the next-highest scorer for Manhattan. He opened the season with a hat trick in a 7-1 win over Wichita Heights and also had two-goal games in wins over Seaman and Wichita South. Oehme earned first-team All-Centennial League honors.
 

JESUS ORTIZ, WICHITA NORTHWEST
 
Ortiz, a sophomore, helped transform Northwest into a more productive offensive team in his debut season, matching now-graduated Martin Soto-Tovar for the team lead in goals with 11. He also added eight assists while earning All-Greater Wichita Athletic League first-team and all-state honorable-mention honors. The Grizzlies raised their season goals total from 20 in 2021 to 53 last season, using Ortiz’s ability to operate in tight spaces and finish with either foot. 

 

BECK RITTENMAIER, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

Rettenmaier earned All-State and All-Sunflower League first-team honors last year. The senior midfielder delivered seven goals and eight assists. Rettenmaier will try to lead the Lancers to a regional championship after falling just short last year. Shawnee Mission East lost to Mill Valley in PKs of last year’s regional finals.
 

 
DEVON RUTSCHMANN, WASHBURN RURAL
 
Rutschmann enters his third year starting at forward for the Junior Blues after transferring in from Topeka West following his freshman season. He was an offensive force for Rural last year, both with the ball and without, finishing the season with 16 goals and 17 assists – his assist total ranking as the second-most in a single season in Rural history. He already ranks sixth on the career assist chart with 26 and also has 25 career goals. Rutschmann earned first-team All-City and Centennial League honors last year and was a second-team All-Class 6A selection.
 

 
 CESAR SALUDES, WICHITA EAST
 
Saludes has been a key back line player throughout his first three seasons at East. The senior captain earned All-Greater Wichita Athletic League first-team honors at defender in 2022, and also scored five goals with two assists. He’ll continue to be an integral part of the Blue Aces’ lineup.
 

ANGEL VIELMAS, DERBY
 
A dangerous attacker who likes to create with the ball on his foot, Vielmas produced 10 goals and seven assists from his midfield position last season. He was the lone sophomore selected to the All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division I first team in 2022 and also earned all-state second-team honors.
 
 

JJ ZHENG, FREE STATE
 
Zheng earned All-State honorable mention and All-Sunflower League second-team honors last year. The junior midfielder helped lead Free State to a surprise postseason push. The Firebirds entered the playoffs with a losing record before ultimately winning a regional title.