How do you explain that Harvard-Westlake's boys' soccer team won the Mission League championship, beat fourth-place Sherman Oaks Notre Dame twice by shutouts but ended up being ranked four spots below the Knights in computer rankings? How do you explain Newbury Park's girls' soccer team with a 10-5-2 record and wins over No. 4 Oaks Christian, No. 12 Moorpark and No. 27 Camarillo failing to get an at-large playoff spot?
The head coach for the defending City Section Open Division champion boys soccer team is Ian Kogan, whose daughter, Jordyn, is a top defender for the El Camino Real girls team. In two seasons, Kogan and girls coach Eric Choi will be talking even more, because arriving in the fall 2027 will be Jordyn's sister, Peyton, and Choi's daughter, Leighton. "I can't wait," Choi said.
Editor's note: We prohibit the use of bots and any other artificial methods of voting. Suspicious activity could lead to the disqualification of candidates and a permanent suspension of the Athlete of the Week poll. No voting by email: Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted. Welcome to the Bay Area News Group (Mercury News & East Bay Times) boys Athlete of the Week poll.
CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS (Matches at 12:30 p.m. unless noted) MONDAY'S SCHEDULE First Round DIVISION I #1 LA Marshall, bye#9 Cleveland at #8 Wilmington Banning#12 LACES at #5 GALA#4 Eagle Rock, bye#3 North Hollywood, bye#11 SOCES at #6 Van Nuys#10 Taft at #7 San Pedro #2 Chatsworth, bye DIVISION II #16 Fairfax at #1 Granada Hills Kennedy#9 LA University at #8 New West#12 Sylmar at #5 Franklin#13 Verdugo Hills at #3 Bell#14 LA Wilson at #3 Gardena#11 Jefferson at #6 Downtown Magnet#10 Legacy at #7 Grant
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.- The Staten Island Academy boys' varsity soccer team recently clinched first place in its PSAA league, capping off an impressive regular season that could lead to one of the program's biggest milestones yet. With momentum firmly on their side, the Tigers are eyeing their first-ever ACIS playoff appearance in school history. After a 3-3 draw with Berkeley on Wednesday- highlighted by a late equalizer from Nick Acquilano- the Tigers responded with back-to-back victories to close out the week.