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All-County boys soccer: James Obleda is the OC player of the year

March 20, 2026

ALL-ORANGE COUNTY BOYS SOCCER TEAM 2025-26

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

James Obleda, Mater Dei, Senior

Championship teams need great players and great leaders.

Mater Dei boys soccer had both in one player, senior midfielder James Obleda.

The Monarchs won championships in the top division of the CIF Southern Section and CIF State playoffs.

Mater Dei High School senior James Obleda in Santa Ana, CA, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Obleda is the Orange County Register’s boys soccer player of the year. He led the school to the championships of the top divisions in CIF Southern Section and CIF State boys soccer. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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“When the big moments came,” Mater Dei coach Sean Ganey said, “we asked, ‘What are we going to do here?’ And we knew James would always show up.”

Obleda’s stellar play and his leadership contributions for Mater Dei’s championship team make him the Register’s selection for Orange County player of the year.

He scored 12 goals, second most on the team behind Santiago Schelotto’s 16 goals, and had a team-high 14 assists. Obleda was named Trinity League player of the year.

“James scored big goal after big goal,” Ganey said. “Big assist after big assist.”

One of those goals came in Mater Dei’s 4-3 win over JSerra in a Trinity League game on Feb. 17. Mater Dei went on to win the league championship with a 6-1-3 record.

Obleda assisted on a goal in Mater Dei’s 2-1 win over Everett Alvarez of Salinas in the CIF State Division I championship game in Sacramento. This was the first boys soccer season to have CIF State championships.

Winning league, section and state championships was satisfying, Obleda said. But his memories of his senior year will be more than the champion plaques and trophies won by the Monarchs.

“Winning comes and goes,” said Obleda, who has not decided on his college destination. “What stays is the bonds built with your friends on the team. Fifty years or whatever from now, I’ll still be talking with these guys.”

Often there is a game that launches a team on a championship path. Obleda said for Mater Dei that game was a 4-1 victory over JSerra on Jan. 30.

“After that,” Obleda said, “our whole team thought we were going to win everything this season.”

Obleda was a team captain.

“Younger guys on the team looked up to me as a role model that represents the culture of Mater Dei soccer,” he said. “Guys knew they could always come to me if they wanted to talk before or after practice.”

Ganey said Obleda’s leadership style went beyond the field.

“He does the little things no one sees,” Ganey said. “He gets up and high-fives everybody. He touches every player on the shoulder or gives them a pat on the back. Kids can’t help but play for him.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

Donovan Martinez, Los Alamitos

Donovan Martinez led Los Alamitos to CIF Southern Section and CIF State Division III championships after winning a tiebreaker game to get into the section playoffs.

Los Alamitos beat Huntington Beach, 1-0, in the tiebreaker game for the Sunset League’s final automatic playoff spot. The Griffins then defeated Colony, Los Altos, top-seeded West Torrance and Godinez to reach the section finals. They won the Division 3 title when Calabasas had forfeit the final.

The Griffins defeated top-seeded Bishop Amat in the Division III regional final. In the CIF State championships, the Griffins beat Watsonville, 1-0.

“When we beat Huntington in that play-in game that gave us second life,” Martinez said. “And we thought ‘we can’t let this opportunity slip away.’ Once we got those first two wins in the playoffs, we went on a roll.”

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

Mina Besada, Sunny Hills, Sr.: He was named team MVP after leading the Lancers with 24 goals.

Jude Califf, JSerra, Jr.: Califf was a top defensive player for the Lions and was selected to the All-Trinity League first team.

Nathan Cueva, Valencia, Sr.: Cueva scored 39 goals for the Tigers and was named Empire League MVP.

Gianluca D’Amato, El Toro, Sr.: He scored 25 goals in 23 games for the South Coast League champions.

Nathan Enriquez, Mater Dei, So: The Monarchs goalkeeper was the Trinity League defensive MVP.

Kasra Ghoddousi, University, Sr.: Ghoddousi scored seven goals with 14 assists and was the team MVP for the Trojans, who won CIF-SS and CIF State titles.

James Obleda, Mater Dei, Sr.: The Orange County player of the year.

Isaac Ortiz, Orange Lutheran, Jr.: He anchored the Lancers defense that recorded 11 shutouts and was named All-Trinity League first team.

Dylan Petruolo, Edison, Jr.: Petruolo was named Sunset League MVP after leading the Chargers to the Sunset League championship.

Ryan Grimm, Canyon, Sr.: Grimm, who scored 12 goals, was the Crestview League MVP.

Jake Rabold, University, Sr.: Rabold was named the team’s offensive player of the year after scoring 10 goals with 10 assists and was All-Pacific Coast League first team.

Santiago Schelotto, Mater Dei, Sr.: Schelotto led Mater Dei, which won CIF-SS and CIF State titles, with 17 goals.

Finn Wilkins, JSerra, So.: Wilkins had team highs of 10 goals and nine assists and was named All-Trinity League first team.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

Lucca Clouthier, University, Sr., GK

Isaih Covarrubias, Mater Dei, Sr.

Kyler Firouznam, Orange Lutheran, Jr.

Blake Hartfelder, Canyon, Sr.

Andrew Lenert, Servite, Sr. GK

Sebastian Mejia, Godinez, So.

Matthew Miranda, Mater Dei, Sr.

Brandon Netzahhual, Sunny Hills, So.

Justus Pailma, Valencia, Jr.

Aquiles Rodriguez, JSerra, Jr.

Dylan Rodriguez, Orange Lutheran, Sr.

Jack Sheperd, Newport Harbor, Sr., GK

Marvin Villela, Santa Ana Valley, Sr.

All-County boys soccer: James Obleda is the OC player of the year Orange County Register

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