CLASS 6A BOYS SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2025
 
CRUZ ALEJOS, OLATHE EAST
 
After helping Olathe East to a state championship in 2023 as a sophomore, Alejos continued his upward trajectory in 2024, turning in a strong junior campaign that earned him second team All-Sunflower League honors and an honorable mention all-state selection. Alejos had two goals and three assists for the Hawks last season. East finished one win away from the state tournament after a 1-0 loss to Blue Valley West in the regional championship.
 

 
JOSE ANIMA, WICHITA NORTH
 
The crafty Anima scored 17 goals and dished out 11 assists for North, which reached the regional finals in a 10-8 season that ended with a 2-1 loss to Dodge City. Anima, a junior midfielder, earned All-Class 6A second-team honors and was part of the All-Greater Wichita Athletic League first team. He has 19 goals and 14 assists at the midpoint of his high school career. 
 

 
DRADEN CHOONCHAROEN, WASHBURN RURAL
 
A senior midfielder, Chooncharoen helped Washburn Rural to its 30th consecutive Centennial League title as well as a third-place finish at the Class 6A state tournament with the Junior Blues falling in the semifinals to eventual champion Shawnee Mission East. A multi-year starter and son of Rural assistant David Chooncharoen, he tallied four goals and four assists last year, serving as a complement to high-scoring teammates Dylan Willingham, Pierce Cannon and Brandon Hamilton, who each finished with double-digit goals. He’s scored 14 goals and recorded 11 assists in his career. Chooncharoen was a first-team All-Centennial League selection and earned honorable mention All-Class 6A honors. He’s also a track standout who has helped Rural’s 1,600 relay to two straight 6A state titles and a meet record last spring.
 
BENNETT CHRISTIE, BLUE VALLEY NORTH
 
Now a junior, Christie returns in 2025 as a three-year starter for the Mustangs, following a standout sophomore campaign that saw him lead the team in scoring with seven goals and two assists. His efforts earned him a spot on the All-Eastern Kansas League Second Team and honorable mention All-State honors. Despite the team finishing with a 6-8-2 record in 2024, Christie was a bright spot all season, delivering clutch performances for the Mustangs.
 

TRENTON COZADD, FREE STATE

Entering his senior year, Cozadd returns as the Firebirds’ top offensive weapon after leading the team with five goals and six assists last season. His playmaking ability in the attacking third earned him second team All-Sunflower League honors as well as a spot on the all-state second team. Cozadd helped guide Free State to an 8-8-1 record in 2024, including a postseason run that saw the Firebirds reach the regional championship game in a loss to Washburn Rural.
 

LUKE DEANGELIS, SHAWNEE MISSION WEST

The Vikings will once again be anchored by a familiar face between the posts in DeAngelis, a four-year starter. DeAngelis, who stepped into the varsity spotlight as a freshman, has been nothing short of a cornerstone for the Vikings, helping lead the team to three consecutive state tournament appearances. That run includes last year’s fourth-place finish at state, and a runner-up finish in 2023. He is looking to build on an already impressive career. In 2024, he allowed just 18 goals in 21 games, and 55 goals in 63 career games. DeAngelis also earned second team All-Sunflower League honors.
 

ALFONSO DE LA ROSA, GARDEN CITY

The senior goalkeeper has been a save-making machine for the Buffaloes, stopping 272 shots over his career. He has also produced 26 career clean sheets. Garden City coach Jose Vital Caro says De La Rosa has a bright soccer future and is looking to play at the next level. He was a second-team All-Western Athletic Conference selection as a junior. The Buffaloes are looking to improve on last year’s six-win season.
 
 

JOSH GARCIA, LIBERAL

A four-year starter, Garcia has played center midfielder and center back for Liberal. He was the Redskins’ top distributor last year, dishing out a team-high 13 assists and adding three goals. Garcia split set piece duties on free kicks and corners and helped Liberal put together 10 shutouts in 2024. It was also one of Liberal’s highest scoring offenses with 74 goals scored on the season. Garcia was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick last year and earned honorable-mention All-6A honors. Liberal went 13-5-1 in 2024 but will have to replace a first-team All-6A selection in Suain Moncayo, who was a senior. 

 

ALONSO GARCIA, GARDNER EDGERTON

Garcia earned second team All-Sunflower League and honorable mention all-state honors in 2024, following a strong sophomore campaign where he scored five goals. That came on the heels of a four-goal freshman season, giving him nine goals through two years of varsity play — and marking him as one of the team’s most consistent scoring threats in the midfield.
 

RICARDO GARCIA, GARDNER EDGERTON

Garcia, a junior and twin brother of Alonso, had a big sophomore campaign, scoring eight goals and adding two assists to help power the Blazers’ offense that ended with a 9-6-1 record. His breakout season earned him second team All-Sunflower League honors and an honorable mention all-state selection — recognition that’s put him on the radar as one of the league’s top forwards.
 

 
BRANDON HAMILTON, WASHBURN RURAL
 
Hamilton’s designated position may be defender, but he certainly brought an offensive mindset to things last year, which allowed him to spend some time as a midfielder. After recording only two goals in his career prior to last season, Hamilton struck for 10 goals and nine assists last year, ranking second on the team in assists and third in goals scored. Hamilton was a first-team All-Centennial League selection and second-team All-Class 6A pick, helping Washburn Rural finish third in Class 6A and capture its 30th straight Centennial League crown. He might spend more time anchoring the defense this year with graduation hitting that area of the team a little harder than others, but don’t be surprised if he doesn’t remain a part of Rural’s offensive attack.
 

MATT HOSTY, OLATHE EAST

Hosty played a pivotal role in Olathe East’s ability to shut down some of the top attacks in the Sunflower League. His performance didn’t go unnoticed as he earned first team All-Sunflower League honors as a defender and was named second team all-state. He helped the Hawks to an 11-5-1 record last season and a spot in the regional championship after helping Olathe East to a state title in 2023. Hosty also did some damage on offense with two goals and three assists last season.
 

MANNY HERNANDEZ, SHAWNEE MISSION WEST

Hernandez was a driving force behind the Vikings' impressive 2024 campaign, which ended with a fourth-place finish at the 6A state tournament and a 15-4-2 overall record. With nine goals and five assists from the midfield, Hernandez was named first team All-Sunflower League and earned all-state honors in just his second year on the varsity level. As a freshman in 2023, he played a key role in helping Shawnee Mission West reach the state championship game, finishing as 6A runner-up.
 

 
BILLY LUTZ, TOPEKA HIGH
 
After a freshman season that saw him named Centennial League newcomer of the year, Lutz came back as a sophomore and was an honorable mention all-league pick. Last year, he worked his way up to first-team all-league honors as he helped the Trojans to an 11-6 record, recording 68 saves as the Trojan goalkeeper. Lutz has manned the goal for the Trojans all three seasons and has 197 career saves. He is Topeka High’s lone returning first-team all-league pick from last year with the graduation of fellow first-teamers Antonio Aguirre and Jaime Alvarado.
 

 
LIAM MORRISON, WASHBURN RURAL
 
Morrison wasn’t the goal scorer he had been during his sophomore campaign when he racked up six goals, but then again he wasn’t asked to be involved as much in Rural’s offensive attack. Instead, he helped hold down a defense that was among the best in Class 6A and shut out every Centennial League opponent on Rural’s way to its 30th straight league title. Morrison only scored one goal last year, but had a career-best four assists on his way to first-team All-Centennial League honors and a second-team All-Class 6A selection. When he’s not helping Rural reach the state semifinals in soccer, as the Junior Blues have for the past five seasons, Morrison is a track standout and after helping Rural’s 1,600 relay to a state title as a sophomore, stepped things up a notch and not only helped the relay repeat as 6A state champs, but also captured the 6A 300 hurdles title as well.
 

COLSEN ODGERS, BLUE VALLEY WEST

A three-year starter and multi-year captain, Odgers enters his final season for Blue Valley West, having already made 48 starts in 51 career games. Odgers, who was one of the top midfielders in the Eastern Kansas League last year, finished the year with three goals and three assists as he helped the Jaguars to a regional championship victory over Olathe East. In 2024, Odgers earned second team All-EKL and honorable mention all-state honors.
 

CRISTIANO PALACIOS, OLATHE WEST

Palacios, a first team All-Sunflower League and all-state selection in 2024, enters his senior season with a growing legacy. Last year, he netted 10 goals and tallied a team-high four assists, playing a pivotal role in the Owls’ 11-3-3 campaign. A force in the midfield, Palacios is tied for seventh in program history with 45 career points.
 

FINN PERSAUD, BLUE VALLEY WEST

In 2024, Persaud led a Blue Valley West defense that helped the Jaguars to their first regional championship in five years after they knocked off then-defending state champion, Olathe East, in a 1-0 shutout. Persaud, who finished with a goal and an assist on the season, was recognized as one of the top defenders in the Eastern Kansas League as he earned first-team honors. He was also named as an honorable mention all-state selection.
 

JAEDEN POMBO, BLUE VALLEY
 

Pombo has become the heart and soul of Blue Valley’s defense. A two-time team captain and returning first team All-Eastern Kansas League honoree, Pombo has built a reputation as one of the top center backs in the EKL. His standout performances earned him first team all-league honors in the ultra-competitive EKL and an honorable mention on the all-state list. Pombo’s talents extend beyond the soccer pitch. A multi-sport athlete, he also blazed his way to the state track meet last spring, competing in sprint events.

 

BEN PRONSKE, OLATHE EAST
 
Coming off a breakout sophomore season in 2024, Pronske, a midfielder, tallied six goals for the Hawks and played a central role in their attacking efforts throughout the year. His performance earned him second team All-Sunflower League honors and an honorable mention All-State selection. As a freshman, he was part of Olathe East’s 2023 state championship team, gaining valuable experience.
 

MIGUEL ROMERO, OLATHE WEST

Romero, a returning team captain, is coming off an electric junior campaign in which he earned first team All-Sunflower League and all-state honors. He led the Owls with 12 goals and added three assists, driving Olathe West to an impressive 11-3-3 record in 2024. With 45 career points, Romero is already tied for seventh in school history. The Owls will look to Romero not just for goals, but for guidance as they push deeper into postseason play in 2025.
 

COOPER SHAW, MAIZE
 
Shaw, a senior, was busy in goal during Maize’s 2024 season, which ended with a loss to eventual Class 6A third-place finisher Washburn Rural. An All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail I first-team selection, Shaw registered three shutouts while averaging 12.8 saves per game, a total that climbed to 15.8 in league games. He also scored a goal and notched an assist for the Eagles, who finished 5-10-2. 
 

LANDON VINCENT, MILL VALLEY

Vincent did a little bit of everything for Mill Valley last season, including coming up with one of the biggest goals of the year. As a starting defender, Vincent scored the game-winning goal in the Jaguars’ double overtime victory over Olathe North to win the regional championship. Along with being one of the top defenders in the Sunflower League, Vincent had two goals to go along with 10 assists. He earned first team All-Sunflower League honors and was a second team all-state selection.
 

 
DYLAN WILLINGHAM, WASHBURN RURAL
 
Willingham was one of the top forwards in Class 6A a year ago, evidenced by his first-team All-Class 6A honors at the position. With the Junior Blues needing to fill the void of 2023 All-State standout Devon Rutschmann, who scored 24 goals that season, Willingham was the obvious candidate, having scored 12 goals as a sophomore in 2023. He upped that total to 15 goals last year, earning Centennial League player of the year honors after being a second-team all-league pick his sophomore season. Willingham was one of three Junior Blues with double-digit goals last year and is one of two returning along with fellow senior Brandon Hamilton as the Junior Blues look to return to the state semifinals for the sixth straight year and capture the Centennial League title for a 31st consecutive season. 

NOTE: Classifications for the 2025-26 school year had not been released at the time of publication. Players featured could potentially fall into a different classification once those have been determined.