25 CLASS 6A BOYS SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2024
 

LARS ALSIN, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

Alsin had a breakout year in 2023 in his second season starting for the Lancers. The senior forward scored 16 goals and dished out eights assists. His scoring production helped lead the Lancers to a 15-4-0 record and a second straight trip to the state quarterfinals. Alsin, who earned first team honors at the league and state level, will take the field with his eyes set on breaking the program's single-season scoring record of 24 goals.
 

 
JAIME ALVARADO, TOPEKA HIGH
 
A senior forward/midfielder, Alvarado will be leaned on to be a leader for the Trojans this season with his skill and knowledge of the game integral to any success the team has. Alvarado is coming off his best goal-scoring season, netting eight goals for the Trojans, an increase of two from his sophomore year and doubling his freshman total. He had just two assists after having six as a sophomore, but his presence in the High attack earned him first-team All-Centennial League honors after being just an honorable mention selection as a sophomore.
 

BRIAN ANDRADES-LARA, SHAWNEE MISSION WEST
 
Andrades-Lara returns for his senior season looking to lead the Vikings as they keep their focus on winning a state title, finishing just short of that a season ago. The senior midfielder is coming off a Sunflower all-league first team and all-state second team season as Shawnee Mission West finished as the state runner-up. He recorded five goals and four assists last year.
 

ELIJAH BENNING, WICHITA NORTHWEST

Whether on the pitch or basketball court, Benning has been an impact player for the Grizzlies. The senior midfielder has started for Northwest soccer since his freshman year, registering 10 career goals and 29 assists. Benning earned All-Greater Wichita Athletic League first-team honors last season after scoring five goals and dishing out 11 assists, and was a second-team pick a year earlier. Benning also helped the Grizzlies end a 13-year state tournament drought in basketball in March and finish fourth in 6A.
 

NATHAN BROEKHUIZEN, BLUE VALLEY NORTH
 
As the captain and anchor of the defense for the Mustangs, Broekhuizen returns for his senior campaign looking to lead his team back to the regional finals and hopefully beyond. He led Blue Valley North in tackles a season ago as he earned All-Eastern Kansas League second team and all-state honorable mention.
 

JAYDEN CHAIYOTE, BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST

Chaiyote earned All-EKL second team honors last season. The senior midfielder is hoping to lead the Huskies to rebound season after finishing 3-8-0 last season. After missing multiple games last season, Chaiyote, who is a team captain for Blue Valley Northwest, is also hoping that he can stay healthy this season as well.
 

RUDY DELGADO, SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH
 
Delgado earned all-state honorable mention and Sunflower All-League first team honors last season. The senior defender will be the anchor for a Raiders team looking to improve from a 4-10-2 that had a promising start that turned south quickly for the team. Shawnee Mission South began the 2023 season with a 3-1 record before league play left them reeling.
 

EZAYEN DEATHERAGE, GARDEN CITY

Garden City returns a pivotal part of its team in Deatherage, who Buffaloes coach Jose Vital says has the capacity to play Division I soccer. Deatherage, a four-year starter, is an elite defender with great vision, Vital says. He has four career goals and 14 assists. Deatherage will look to help the Buffaloes build on last year's 12-5-2 season that ended with a loss to Washburn Rural in the 6A quarterfinals. Deatherage was a second-team All-Western Athletic Conference selection last year.  

ANDY DOWSETT, BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST
 
Dowsett earned All-Eastern Kansas League second team honors last season. The senior forward is hoping to lead the Huskies to a rebound season after finishing 3-8-0 last season. Dowsett, who plays midfield at the club level, could step into that role for Blue Valley Northwest depending on how the rest of the roster shakes out for the Huskies.
 

 
LEO FERNANDEZ, DERBY

Fernandez faces a busy fall as a top returnee for the Panthers in soccer and a leading candidate to take over kicking duties for Derby's football team. A three-year starter in soccer, Fernandez helped the Panthers post a 15-3 record last season and snap Maize South's 32-match winning streak. Fernandez, an All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail I first-team forward in 2023 and second team in 2022, also scored a hat trick in a victory over previously unbeaten Newton and finished his junior season with 12 goals and two assists. A forward or winger throughout his career, Fernandez has 27 career goals and three assists.
 

GEORGE HARTMAN, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST  

SERGIO HERNANDEZ, SHAWNEE MISSION WEST
 
Hernandez has been one of the core pieces of a Vikings team that showed promise for a couple seasons before taking things to the next level with a state runner-up finish last season. The senior striker scored 20 goals and provided nine assists as he won the Sunflower League forward of the year award, along with a slew of first team honors. Hernandez will look to add onto his program record for career goals, which he broke last year.
 

YUSEF ISKANDRANI, LAWRENCE FREE STATE

After experiencing a few .500 seasons, Free State finally got things going in 2023 with its 12-5-1 record and trip to the regional finals. Iskandrani played a large part in that bounceback season with his play in the net for the Firebirds. He pitched five shutouts across 16 starts and only allowed five goals in league play. Iskandrani earned Sunflower all-league first team and all-state second team honors. In addition to his performance on the soccer field, Iskandrani is also the placekicker for the Free State football team, which has earned him multiple scholarship offers.
 

ANGEL LUMBRERAS-PICASSO, WICHITA NORTH

Lumbreras-Picasso returned last fall after missing his sophomore season and provided a steadying hand for North's defense from the center-back position. Now a senior, Lumbreras-Picasso's tackling ability and composure under pressure are proven assets for the Redhawks, who finished 11-6-1 and second in the Greater Wichita Athletic League. A second-team all-league selection, he assisted on two goals and helped North post four shutouts with a 1.65 goals-against average.

 

SUAIN MONCAYO, LIBERAL

Moncayo established himself as one of the top players in the Western Athletic Conference last year.  Moncayo, a first-team all-league pick, will be a four-year starter at forward. He finished his junior season with 28 goals and five assists. Moncayo delivered a five-goal game last year and had four hat tricks. He'll enter his senior campaign with 44 career goals and nine assists. Moncayo, who is looking to play at the next level, should also have a solid supporting cast including senior goalkeeper Gael Ruvalcaba, center midfielder Giezi Gonzalez and junior Joshua Garcia. Liberal handed Dodge City its only loss of the regular season last year and met their WAC rival again in the 6A quarterfinals, falling to the Red Demons to end the season at 11-5-3. 
 

 
RYDER NIKKEL, WASHBURN RURAL
 
Entering his third year as a starter at defender for the Junior Blues, NIkkel will be a team captain for his senior season. Nikkel was part of a Rural defense that posted 11 shutouts last year and allowed just 0.76 goals per game. Nikkel got his first career goal and assist last year and wound up earning first-team All-Centennial League honors. Nikkel was a reserve on Rural's Class 6A state runner-up team in 2021 and then started each of the last two seasons when the Junior Blues finished fourth and third, respectively, at state.
 

COLSEN ODGERS, BLUE VALLEY WEST
 
Odgers returns for his junior campaign coming off a breakout year for the Jaguars last season. He held the same midfield duties he had as a freshman in 2022, but found his footing as a scorer last season. He provided five goals, three of which were game winners. Odgers earned all-state and All-EKL first team honors. 
 

MARIO OLIVARES, DODGE CITY

Olivares flourished last year for perennial contender Dodge City. He earned second-team All-Western Athletic Conference and All-6A honors last season as the Red Demons went 19-3 and finished fourth place in 6A. The center mid was a key distributor for Dodge City's scoring attack last season. Red Demons coach Saul Hernandez says that Olivares' biggest asset is his vision on the field. He dished out 15 assists and scored five goals last year. Olivares will enter his senior season with 13 career goals and 30 assists.
 

GILBERT PARGA-RODRIGUEZ, WICHITA NORTH

A three-year starter at center back, Parga-Rodriguez has earned high praise from North coach Curt Wullschleger for his savviness, soccer IQ, athleticism and communication skills. An All-Greater Wichita Athletic League first-team selection last season and second team two years ago, Parga-Rodriguez, who has drawn small-college recruiting interest, is a top defender and a threat on set pieces. He scored or assisted in four games last season as North reached the West region finals before falling to Garden City.
 

MALACHI PARKS, GARDNER EDGERTON
 
Parks helped Gardner Edgerton set a program record for least goals allowed last season with 16 goals, eight less the previous record. With Parks leading this defense, the Blazers also earned their second-best record in program history at 9-5-3. Parks earned Sunflower All-League first team honors. He's currently slated to maintain his starting role at center back for the third straight season, but his coach trusts his versatility to play the midfield if another player can step up this season to fill his spot on defense.
 

BRADY ROBINS, MILL VALLEY
 
Robins will enter his third season of starting for the Jaguars. The senior midfielder has racked up career highs last year in goals at nine and assists at seven. He earned all-state second team and Sunflower All-League first team honors last season. After being part of the Jaguars' state title run in 2022, Robins will try to lead his team back to state after having their 2023 campaign ended in the regional finals. So far Robins has received interest from multiple college programs to play at the next level, ranging from nearby schools such as UMKC to other prestigious institutions in the midwest region such as Drake.
 

KADEN SLAVEN, OLATHE SOUTH
 
Slaven earned all-state second team and Sunflower All-League first team honors last season as the Falcons' top scoring threat. The senior striker provided 16 goals and five assists for Olathe South last year. Slaven will try to help Olathe South bounce back from a 6-7-0 record in 2023.

KAEL TAYLOR, OLATHE WEST
  
Taylor earned all-state first team and 6A goalkeeper of the year honors last season as he helped lead Olathe West to a 14-4-1 season and state quarterfinals appearance. He pitched a shutout in each of the team's playoff wins. With Taylor patrolling the net again this season, the Owls should be a strong contender in 6A once again.
 

KHOI WOODS, OLATHE NORTH
 
Woods returns from a Sunflower All-League first team season for the Eagles last season. The senior midfielder has produced 21 goals and 12 assists across his three seasons of starting for Olathe North. Woods is hoping to lead his team back to the postseason after missing out as the program experienced a down year.

JJ ZHENG, LAWRENCE FREE STATE

Zheng turned in a breakout year for the Firebirds last fall. The senior midfielder delivered seven assists and six goals, which included three game winners for a Free State squad which finished 12-5-1 last season. As a 4.0 GPA student, Zheng will have quite a few choices for where he'll go college and his performance on the soccer field only adds to those options.