WSSARIZONA

The Arizona High School Soccer season is right around the corner, with 4A starting tournament-play in just less than a month. To kick-off the year, we have compiled our initial Top 24 Open Division Power Rankings for Boys Soccer.

Our rankings are based off of three factors: 2026 Performance, Returning Contributors, and overall historical program success. These rankings are representative of what we believe the final rankings of the Open Division would look like in February.

#1 – Sunrise Mountain (5A)

2026 Record: 19-3-3 (Open Division Champions)

After winning the 5A Championship in 2025, Sunrise Mountain took that “next step” in 2026 when they defeated Tucson Mica Mountain in the Open Division Championship in a game they essentially dominated through 75 minutes of play. It was an incredibly memorable year for Sunrise Mountain, who entered as the #9 seed in the Open. From knocking rival Liberty out of the Open, to a Sayan Hobbi hat-trick to propel SMHS past #1 Sunnyside, and an upset over #2 Brophy to punch their ticket to the championship. Having now won the 5A State Championship and Open Championship in back-to-back years, it is evident that this team has both the talent and experience to make a run back to the Finals in 2027. Gatorade Player-of-the-Year ‘27 Sayan Hobbi returns for his senior season in which he will look to cap-off his already incredible high school career with another Open Championship. Sunrise also returns talented ‘27 Forward Evan Pors, who figures to be one of the top talents on attack alongside Hobbi. ‘27 D Cole Bynum received 1st-team All-5A Honors for his play and will also return.

The question mark with Sunrise entering this season will be figuring out who steps up to fill-in for some of their top producers from last season, including Malachi Huisman, Hayden Stalls (both of whom scored in the Open Championship last season), D Logan Allen, and GK Nolan Roles – who started 24 out of 25 games last year for Sunrise MTN. As we saw last season with Desert Vista, major Senior-turnover can be detrimental to a Open Division champion, however, it is hard to bet against a team like Sunrise Mountain when all they have done in the last 2 calendar years is win – especially when they still have a program cornerstone like Hobbi.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 FORW Sayan Hobbi (44 G/ 14 A)
• ‘27 FORW Evan Pors (10 G / 3 A)
• ‘27 CB Cole Bynum

Key Losses:

• CF Malachi Huisman (14 G / 12 A)
• CB Logan Allen
• CF Hayden Stalls (10 G / 3A)
• GK Nolan Roles (24 GP)

#2 – Sunnyside (6A)

2026 Record: 21-2-2 (Open Division Top 8)

Sunnyside had an incredible regular season followed by a heartbreaking end in a Quarterfinals loss to eventual champion Sunrise Mountain. The Blue Devils have an undeniable amount of talent on their roster. Underclassmen Pedro Vega and Michael Montesino combined for nearly 50 goals and 30 assists through 25 games. They have a strong supporting-cast around them with players such as Israel Luquez, Brian Bacahui, and Ruben Arballo. On top of that, they have arguably the top returning goalkeeper in the state in Marc Urrea-Salinas. Urrea-Salinas was voted as the 2nd-best goalkeeper in the state in WSSGolazo’s 2025-2026 AZHS Soccer Awards behind Brophy ’26 GK J.P. Odden. In 2026, Sunnyside beat the likes of Open Runner-ups Mica Mountain (twice), San Luis, Westwood, Salpointe, and Red Mountain. They unfortunately ran into the eventual Open champs in the round-of-16. Something to keep an eye on will be their January 6th match versus Catalina Foothills, which was a matchup we did not get to see in 2026. They will also see much more competition from the Valley this season in comparison from last year which will be interesting to watch. Sunnyside looks like a real threat to make it back on a deep-run to the Open. A more experienced roster this time-around will look to lead the Blue Devils deeper into the playoffs in 2027. They are a legitimate threat to dethrone Sunrise Mountain for the Open Division.

Key Returners:

• ‘28 Pedro Vega (29 G / 14 A)
• ‘28 Michael Montesino (19 G / 16 A)
• ‘27 Israel Luquez (8 G / 15 A)
• ‘27 Brian Bacahui (7 G / 10 A)
• ‘27 GK Marc Urrea-Salinas

Key Losses:

• ‘26 D Marcos Bustamante

#3 – Mica Mountain (4A)

2025 Record: 18-4 (Open Division Runner-Ups)

If any team is going to challenge Sunrise Mountain for the Open Division Title, why wouldn’t it be the team that they faced in the Finals? Tucson Mica Mountain returns nearly everyone from their 2026 Open-Division run, including their 5-leading goal scorers from a season ago. Headlining their group is a prolific goal-scorer in his own right, Senior Julian Ordaz. Ordaz nearly single-handedly brought home Mica Mountain a state championship when he scored 2 goals in the final minute of regulation to force overtime versus Sunrise Mountain. Though his team ultimately came up short, Ordaz along with fellow underclassmen ‘28 Tate Peele, ‘28 Grady Coleman, and ‘29 Colin Douglas proved that the Mica Mountain soccer program – who played their first varsity season less than 5 years ago – is a legitimate threat not just in 4A, but in the Open Division. ‘27 D Austin Rios, who received first-team All-4A honors for his defense, will return as well.

Mica will bring back nearly the entire team that brought them to a state championship 1 year ago, but there will be a few notable faces not returning in 2027, including starting goalkeeper Ben Weinzinger, and CF/D Landon McKendrick, who was one of the top playmakers for the team and a 1st-team All-4A Defender. Despite this, Mica has all the pieces to make a run at the top-spot in the state this season.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 Julian Ordaz (21 G / 11 A)
• ‘28 Tate Peele (15 G / 7 A)
• ‘28 Grady Coleman (10 G / 4 A)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Landon McKendrick (3 G / 12 A)
• ‘26 GK Benjamin Weinzinger

#4 – Catalina Foothills (5A)

2026 Record: 21-1-3 (Open Division – Final 4)

Catalina Foothills put up an absolutely dominant regular season in SOAZ as they put on a 24-game loss-less streak (21W – 0 L – 3 D) before eventually losing in the playoffs to Mica Mountain. A team who arguably has the most returning talent throughout the state, Catalina Foothills will return a staggering 87.2% of their Offensive Production from a season ago. Per MaxPreps, the Falcons only lost 3 seniors to graduation, a high amongst the top programs in the state. To say that Cat Foot “shared the love” on attack last year would be an understatement. 8 players registered 5 or more goals, with 6 of those players being underclassmen. Amongst the returning-trio of ‘28 Ruiz-Briones (24 G), ‘28 Wollner (14 G), and ‘27 Nottingham (12 G), their 50 goals-combined projects them to be one of the most dangerous offenses in the state. They’ll also return ‘27 GK Jules Manger, who was one of the best keepers in the state last-season. Manger was voted the 4th-best GK in Arizona last season by WSSGolazo supporters. Mateo Perez also returns as one of the better defenders in 5A. Catalina Foothills will look to make a return to the Open in 2027.

Key Returners:

• ‘28 FORW Miguel Ruiz-Briones (24 G/ 14 A)
• ‘28 FORW Moses Wollner (14 G / 13 A)
• ‘27 Seth Nottingham (12 G / 9 A)
• ‘27 GK Jules Manger

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Nathan Aguirre (4 G / 15 A)
• ‘26 Luca Celi (13 G / 10 A)

#5 – Sandra Day O’Connor (6A)

2026 Record: 16-5-2 (Open Division Top 8)

O’Connor is a team that might fool the casual fan if they were to judge them based on their record from a season ago. The Eagles only lost 1 game in the regular season against Arizona opponents (They lost 3 games via out-of-state tournament). If you look past the 7-1 thumping at the hands of Catalina Foothills that knocked them out of the Open Playoffs last-season, you’d see that O’Connor quietly was one of the best teams in the “valley” in 2026. In 6A, OC combo’d a late season 4-1 win against eventual 6A-champion Liberty, a 4-1 win over Mesa, and a win on penalties against eventual 5A champion ACP to make it to the “Elite 8” of the Open. Leading goal-scorer ‘27 Midfielder Shane Lavery was much to thank for this as he will return for his senior season as he looks to lead the team back to the Open. ‘27 Cooper Speck and ‘27 Christian Diaz also look to be contributors on attack. ‘27 GK Ritvik Pawnikar and ‘28 GK Seth Blasing also return for the Eagles. Both saw significant time throughout the season, and this will likely be the same situation in 2027. Perhaps most impressive is that the team only graduated 2 seniors in 2026 with Kash Witherell and Defenseman Zach Blasing moving on. It is likely to assume that much of the defense that allowed 1.09 Goals per Game will return for O’Connor who has their eyes on a championship this season.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 CF Shane Lavery (22 G / 12 A)
• ‘27 GK Ritvik Pawnikar & ‘28 GK Seth Blasing
• ‘27 Christian Diaz (7 G / 2 A)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Kash Witherell (14 G / 18 A)
• ‘26 D Zach Blasing

#6 – Verrado (5A)

2026 Record: 17-2-3 (Open Division Top 8)

Verrado put the state on notice last year when they surprised many with a run to the Open Division Elite 8, a program-first for the Vipers. That run was much in part to the efforts of ‘27 D George Watkins. Watkins not only led the team with 15 goals, including multiple clutch moments such as a 65th minute equalizer against Brophy to force overtime, but also acted as a shutdown defender on a Verrado backline that allowed just 12 goals in 22 games. Verrado’s defense was a massive strength in 2026. The “Belt Boyz” held all opponents to an average of 0.54 goals per game – no team scored more than 2 in a game against them. Unfortunately, 5A Defensive Player of the Year ‘27 Cam Harris reportedly is not returning for their Vipers as he ops to play in MLS Next – a big blow to a defense that was amongst the best in the state last season. A potential breakout player for Verrado could be ‘29 FORW Marquis Franklin. Franklin, who was a freshman last year, bagged 6 goals and contributed with 3 Assists.

Verrado is on the lighter-side when it comes to graduating-seniors, but there will certainly be roles to fill with Reynaga, Rodriguez, Munoz, and now Harris all gone. Still, with the amount of talent coming back combined with a more experienced team, Verrado will enter the 2027 season with legitimate expectations to make it back to the Open, or at the very least will be the favorites to win 5A.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 D George Watkins (15 G)
• ‘27 FORW Lucas Nicolls (7 G / 4 A)
• ‘29 Marquis Franklin (6 G / 3 A)
• ‘27 GK Alex Gutierrez

Key Losses:

• ‘27 D Cam Harris (5A DPOTY)
• 26 Josiah Reynaga (4 G / 6 A)
• ‘26 Tony Rodriguez (4 G / 7 A)
• ‘26 Michael Munoz (3 G / 5 A)

#7- Salpointe Catholic (5A)

2026 Record: 16-5-1

Many had written off Salpointe entering the 2026 season after they graduated ‘25 Leonel Gutierrez in the summer after his Gatorade POTY campaign. What people didn’t know was that Salpointe had underclassmen waiting in the wings, ready to step up and lead the team into a new era. While the regular season performance was a step-down from previous years, Salpointe’s young attack helped them get within not just one game, but one penalty shot away from the Open Division Semi-Finals in what was ultimately a heartbreaking loss to Mica Mountain. Regardless, it was an incredibly impressive finish to a season where the Lancers secured the 6th seed in the Open. Entering 2027, Salpointe retains the attacking core of seniors Jose Gutierrez-Pena, Andrew Kisso, and junior Aiden Borboa, who combined for 33 of Salpointe’s 74 goals in 2026. Something to keep an eye on for the Lancers is the defense and goalkeeping.

They graduated 5 out of 9 of their defenseman as well as 2 of their goalkeepers. Junior GK Xavier Lopez could become the full-time starter after splitting time with graduated seniors Garrett Griffin and Diego Duval. Another factor to keep note of: Salpointe makes the move to the 5A Sonoran Region this season after spending nearly a decade in the 4A Kino region.

Salpointe will look to reclaim the throne of the top-team from SOAZ this season, and they’ll get the chance to prove that as they do have both Mica Mountain and Catalina Foothills lined-up on their 2027 schedule.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 Jose Gutierrez-Pena (12 G / 14 A)
• ‘27 Andrew Kisso (11 G / 0 A)
• ‘28 Aiden Borboa (10 G / 13 A)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Santiago Perez
• ‘26 GK Garrett Griffin
• ‘26 GK Diego Duval

#8 – Brophy College Prep (6A)

2026 Record: 21-3

If you asked anyone what the biggest strengths of Brophy was in 2026, the answer would have been their suffocating defense and the often unbeatable goaltending. Entering 2027, both of those two strengths could look significantly different. Brophy graduated 6 out of 9 of their defenseman as well as starting goalkeeper J.P. Odden in the summer. That defense included WSSGolazo Defenseman of the Year Alex King, and the aforementioned Goalkeeper of the Year J.P. Odden. 2nd-choice goalkeeper Ryder Hampton also graduated in the summer. With this in mind, the defensive-third of the field is expected to look much different. However, the midfield and attack is largely the same. Leading goal-scorer ‘27 ST Joey Fritz returns alongside ‘27 Jack Ducusin, and ‘28 Nico McGalla. Talented playmaker Shubhan Kulkarni also returns in 2027. While the backline and goaltending is the biggest question going into 2027, it should be noted that Brophy’s defense has been historically sound in the last 3 years. Their 0.41 goals against in 2026 was an improvement on 0.63 goals against in 2024 and 0.95 goals against in 2023. It must be kept in mind that Brophy was 2 goals away from an Open Division state championship appearance in a tough loss to eventual champs Sunrise Mountain. If Brophy’s defense can be just as solid as it was in 2026, Brophy could be a dark horse for an Open State Championship.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 ST Joey Fritz (14 G / 2 A)
• ‘27 Jack Ducusin (8 G / 1 A)
• ‘28 Nico McGalla (5 G / 2 A)
• ‘27 CF Shubhan Kulkarni (2 G / 5 A)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 GK J.P. Odden
• ‘26 CB Alex King

#9 – Liberty (6A)

2026 Record: 23-5 (6A Champions)

Liberty took home a 6A Championship in 2026 in what ultimately was a season where they were playing for more than a trophy, they were playing for their head coach, Tyler Hussey, who had stepped aside from the team as he courageously fought a battle with cancer. On the field, Liberty was one of the best teams in the state throughout the course of the season. Their rivalry with Sunrise Mountain ultimately proved to be amongst the best of the year, as Peoria was inevitably home to the 6A and Open State Champions. While Sunrise Mountain had the upper hand on Liberty last year, it was players like ‘26 Caleb Anderson, ‘26 Luke Wiliams, and ‘26 Luke Ely who all contributed towards the Lions’ 6A championship. With those 3 (and more) gone, the team will look different in 2027. One of the top returners will be lockdown Senior defenseman Logan Barron, who took home MVP honors at the 6A Championship. Barron was also the AIA 6A Defensive Player of the Year. Sophomore Carter Reilly also returns for Liberty, who was arguably the top freshman in the state behind Yuma Catholic’s Cade Garcia. ‘27 Jonathan Umoren and ‘28 Cashton Matich were also contributors on varsity who will return for Liberty. Starting GK Kyle Haines is also expected to return. The defending 6A Champions will certainly be a team to keep an eye on as they look to defend their title and make a return to the Open.

Key Returners:

• ‘29 CF Carter Reilly (6 G / 12 A)
• ‘27 D Logan Barron (10 G / 5 A)
• ‘27 Jonathan Umoren (7 G / 3A)
• ‘27 Colin Mosher (13 A)
• ‘28 GK Kyle Haines

Key Losses:

• ‘26 FORW Caleb Anderson (34 G / 12 A)
• ‘26 Luke Williams (13 G / 19 A)
• ‘26 Luke Ely (13 G / 10 A)

#10 – San Luis (6A)

2026 Record: 18-6-1

San Luis got back to a state championship in 2026, but once again came up just-short of a trophy in what truly was a painfully close loss. It was a game that saw the Sidewinders lead 1-0 through 76 minutes before surrendering 2 to Liberty in the span of 15 minutes to lose in heartbreaking fashion. But as they always do, San Luis looks to turn the page and start a new chapter as they undergo a roster facelift after graduating 17 seniors in 2026. San Luis has a bright spot returning in junior Carlos Gonzalez, who was the team’s 2nd-leading scorer with 13 G / 5 A in 2026. Senior Erick Benavidez also looks to step up and make a larger impact with 7 G / 5 A from last season. Senior goalkeeper Gael Obregon is a bright spot who will return for the Sidewinders – he was one of the better goalkeepers in 6A last season.

The San Luis defense, which was a strength of the team a season ago, may look different in 2026, but given the historical consistency of the program, it appears to be something that will be sorted out come December 1st when they’ll host Kofa in “El Classico” – both teams’ season opener.

San Luis has proved they can dominate teams in the regular season – they have won eight-straight region titles dating back to 2018 – but they are still in search of their first state championship, a prize that has eluded them in 6 finals appearances.

Key Returners:

• ‘28 Carlos Gonzalez (13 G / 5 A)
• ‘27 Erick Benavidez (7 G / 5 A)
• ‘27 GK Gael Obregon

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Rodrigo Ortega (26 G / 9 A)
• ‘26 Rodrigo Cordova (7 G / 4 A)
• ‘26 Oscar Renteria (6 G / 9 A)

#11 – Arizona College Prep (6A)

2026 Record: 21-2

On multiple levels, ACP had what you could consider to be an amazing year. They went 16-1 in the regular season, and were an unlucky goal away against Mountain Pointe from finishing the regular season a perfect 17-0. They were also only one of 3 teams to beat Open-Champion Sunrise Mountain when they did so in early-December, They made it to the Open and were knocked down on penalties to O’Connor, but rebounded and ran through 5A before beating Fairfax in the state championship. All-in-all, a successful season. They did that on a roster that included several key contributors who returned from the 2025 season. In 2027 however, there may be some new faces to lead the team to what they hope will be continued success. In the summer, ACP graduated leading goal-scorers Ewan McMaster, Colton Fong, and Cameron Long, as well as starting GK Matthew Kozel – who was amongst the top in the state. While this production will need to be replaced, ACP is in good-hands with senior Timothy Burlend, a more-than-capable playmaking defender who scored 8 goals and assisted on 13 in 23 games played. Daniel Manfredo, a shutdown senior fullback who paired with Burlend to form one of the more versatile defenses in the state, will return as well. Also returning is Josia Sinohui, a senior midfielder who nearly averaged a point per game for ACP in 2026.

While ACP is losing a lot of quality, contributing seniors, it would be difficult to put a team that lost just 2 games all season lower until we have a reason to see otherwise.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 D Timothy Burlend (8 G / 13 A)
• ‘27 FB Daniel Manfredo
• ‘27 Josia Sinohui

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Ewan McMaster (20 G / 13 A)
• ‘26 GK Matthew Kozel
• ‘26 Colton Fong (14 G / 7 A)
• ‘26 Cameron Long 10 G / 2 A)

#12 – Red Mountain (6A)

If you want to know about an underrated, young, potential dark-horse team waiting to pop off, it could very well be the squad over at Red Mountain. They got into the Open as the #16 seed and took down Paradise Valley before falling short against a tough Sunnyside team in a 2-1 loss. While the majority of teams in this range are dealing with massive turnover in terms of the amount of graduating seniors on their squad, Red Mountain enters the year with 8/10 of their goal-scorers being underclassmen – 6 of which, having scored at least 5 or more goals throughout the season. Much like another young, promising team previously mentioned (Catalina Foothills), this attack is also one that “shared the love” with 16 players scoring a goal in 2026. The final 2 months of last season showed some real promise for this Red Mountain team, the Mountain Lions will look to prove themselves in 6A this season.

Key Returners:

• ‘28 Ryder Barrett (10 G / 4)
• ‘27 Aidan Enzweiler (11 G / 3 A)
• ‘28 Joel Asare (12 G / 5 A)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Logan Smith (5 G / 4 A)

#13 – Highland (6A)

2026 Record: 13-8-1

Highland easily looked like one of the more promising, young programs last season that had the potential to be strong heading into 2027. On paper, they will look to return the majority of the same season from last year, with one major loss. ‘28 ST Liam Carpenter, who led the team last season with 17 goals and 3 assists reportedly will not be returning to the team as he opts to play in MLSNext over Highland this season –  a major blow to a team that relied on Carpenter throughout the season. Still, Highland returns multiple underclassmen including ‘28 Lukasz Pietryka, who was a playmaker for the Hawks last year with 4 goals and 7 assists. ‘28 Clay Zaugg and ‘28 GK Mason Peterson also figure to be strong contributors for Highland. While losing a player like Carpenter will sting, Highland is likely still a shoe-in for 1st or 2nd in their region, given the competition they face in the 6A Fiesta region outside of Gilbert, who had a decent season in their own right.

Key Returners:

• ‘28 MF Lukasz Pietryka (4 G / 7 A)
• ‘28 GK Mason Peterson

Key Losses:

• ‘28 Liam Carpenter *MLSNext* (17 G / 3 A)

#14 – Pinnacle (6A)

2026 Record: 11-9-3

Pinnacle was a squad that had their inconsistencies throughout the early season, but eventually pulled it together in what ultimately was a run that ended in the 6A Semi Finals in a loss to runner-up San Luis. The Pioneers went 7-3-1 in their final 11 games in which they outscored opponents 39-15, with their only losses coming to Liberty, ACP, and eventually San Luis in the 6A Semi Finals. In the off-season, Pinnacle graduated 4 out-of 5 of their top contributors on attack from last season, but they are a program that typically sees senior-heavy rosters. If 2026 was an indicator of who steps up to fill holes left by graduated seniors, then it could very well be a bunch of new faces that weren’t necessarily contributors on varsity last season. While Pinnacle did struggle against true-Open division contenders, they could be a solid team in 6A – they have not finished outside of the 6A Top 15 since 2020.

Key Returners:

• ‘29 Richard Vieriu (3 G / 4 A)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Jonathan Karumuna (19 G / 10 A)
• ‘26 Kaleb Yun (12 G / 10 A)
• ‘26 GK Cole Miller

#15 – Mountain View (Marana) (5A)

2026 Record: 18-6-1

Marana Mountain View was a team that many overlooked in 2026 – possibly because of the sheer amount of Open-worthy teams that the Southern Arizona area had, but the Mountain Lions proved that they could in fact make some noise in a hotbed of talent. A look at their 2026 record of 18-6-1 shows that they were a competitive team with razor-thin, yet understandable losses to respectable opponents such as Brophy, Catalina Foothills, Mica Mountain, and 5A runner-ups Fairfax. It should be noted that all of those games (outside of a 4-0 late-season loss to Catalina Foothills) were within one goal/penalties in which they ultimately came up short. Still though, Mountain View proved that they had a true fighting spirit, which was best on-display in their Round of 32 Open Division match versus favored Westwood, when they came back down 3-0 to win 4-3. Powering Mountain View was a largely young group of players such as ‘27 ST Jonathan Wardell, who led the team in goals with 18 in 23 games played. ‘27 Erik Benjamin and ‘27 Christian Vejar also both provided production for a Mountain View attack that averaged 2.6 Goals per game on 5.7 shots on goal.

The Mountain Lions will share a stacked region this season with Catalina Foothills and now-5A Salpointe Catholic in their way of a 5A Sonoran Title.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 Jonathan Wardell (14 G / 4 A)
• ‘27 Erik Benjamin (8 G, 5 A)
• ‘27 GK Alex Ortega (19 GP , 1.59 GAA)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Christian Gomez (11 G / 4 A)

#16 – Mesa (6A)

2026 Record: 10-7-4

Mesa had sky-high expectations in 2026 after a 2025 season where they were 17-5-1 and just missed out on the Open Semi Finals. Despite a huge amount of returning talent, they just couldn’t quite meet the level at which they were expected to be at, with several questionable results during the regular season, bouncing out of the Open in the round-of-32 and being eliminated in the 1st round of the 6A playoffs.

The good news is that Mesa is expected to return multiple contributing players from last season, including leading goal scorer Santiago Villamarin, a senior who bagged 13 goals and 4 assists, operating well above a point per game as Mesa’s best attacker. ‘28 Forward Josue Garcia contributed with 5 goals and 7 assists and is also returning for Mesa. On the defensive side of things, Mesa graduated senior Jose Barrios, a solid defensive player who also scored 4 goals in 18 games. Mesa returns their starting goalkeeper Jayden Cuens, who was a freshman that appeared in 16 games and clocked over 1100 minutes in goal for the Jackrabbits. Mesa is a consistent program in 6A who will look to make it deeper into the playoffs than in previous seasons.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 Santiago Villamarin (13 G / 4 A)
• ‘28 Josue Garcia (5 G / 7 A)
• ‘29 Ethan Perez
• ‘29 GK Jayden Cuen

Key Losses:

• ‘26 FORW Evan Romero (11 G / 4 A)
• ’26 D Jose Barrios

#17 – Perry

2026 Record: 13-7-2

Perry had a good season in 2026 which included an Open Division Round of 32 appearance before losing narrowly on penalties in R2 of the 6A Playoffs to Highland. The 6A Premier Region Champions return Leading goal-scorer Eli Bisaha and ‘27 Jacoby Franklin as well as starting goalkeeper Rayhan Gregory. Perry is only two years-removed from a 6A Championship run in which they lost to Shadow Ridge.

Key Returners:

• ‘28 Eli Bisaha (8 G / 4 A)
• ‘27 Jacoby Franklin (5 G / 7 A)
• ‘27 GK Rayhan Gregory

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Nick Saveski (4 G)
• ‘26 Mac Bowers (3 G / 3 A)

#18 – Kofa (4A)

2026 Record: 19-4-2

How do you replace a striker who scored a ridiculous 121 goals over the span of 4 years? That is the question that Kofa will try to solve this upcoming season after 4 sensational years of Striker Leonel Rodriguez’s service. Kofa, like their rivals to the south, are dealing with a different looking roster after graduating a large class of seniors including the aforementioned Rodriguez.

With the returning players that they do have, it looks like the immediate solution to the striker situation could be senior Danniel Matis Vera, whose 9 goals and 5 assists was 2nd behind Rodriguez in 2026.

Kofa may take a step back this year, but it may not be the end of the world considering they won 19 games in 2026. It should also be noted that Kofa drops down to 4A this season, after spending the last couple of seasons in 6A. In any regards, you can never count out a team like Kofa, and their season will be one to keep an eye on.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 Danniel Matis Vera (9 G / 5 A)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 ST Leonel Rodriguez (45 G / 9 A)
• ‘26 CF Eliemerson Godina-Reyes (8 G / 14 A)

#19 – Independence (5A)

2026 Record: 12-7-2

It could all be coming together for Glendale’s Independence HS in 2027. The Patriots took a small step-back last season after they had made it to the 5A Conference Championship in 2025. Striker Angel Olivas returns for his senior season after posting 27 goals and 12 assists in what was his 2nd-straight year of leading the team in goals. Olivas was one of the top goal-scorers in 5A for a Patriots team that bounced out of the Open-Division in Round 1, and made it to Round 2 of the 5A Playoffs before losing to Cienega. In 2027, Olivas will also be joined by ‘28 Ezequiel Aguirre, ‘27 Eduardo Gonzalez, and ‘28 Irvin Villalobos, all of whom were strong contributors in 2026.

The two notable losses for Indy will be ‘26 CF Jorge Arreola and ‘26 Starting GK Adriel Mendoza. Arreola was the 2nd-leading goal-scorer for Indy in 2026 with 12 goals and 4 assists. On the defense side of things, 27 D Eduardo Gonzalez and ‘27 D Dylan Parra both played significant minutes in 2026 for the team, and so it appears that much of the defense that allowed just 1.2 Goals per Game in 2026 will return for the Patriots this season. Independence will almost certainly be one of the better teams in 5A, and with a prolific goal-scorer like Olivas, the Open is not out of the question.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 Angel Olivas (27 G / 12 A)
• ‘28 Ezequiel Aguirre (8 G / 2 A)
• ‘27 Eduardo Gonzalez (5 G / 5 A)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Jorge Arreola (12 G / 4 A)

#20 – Westwood (6A)

2026 Record: 13-5-2

Westwood was a bit of a surprise going into the 2026 season after they started off with one of the best records in the state, opening up the season on an incredible 13-0 run before losing a narrow game to Sunnyside. However, after finishing the regular season with a record of 18-3 and making the Open as the #21 seed, the Warriors lost 3-straight to end the year, falling to Red Mountain in the final match of the regular season before losing in the Open R32 to Mountain View Marana in a game that they had led 3-0, and then losing 5-1 versus Pinnacle in the 6A bracket. 2026 was one of, if not the best season in recent program history.

However, Westwood might have lost more contributing seniors than any other program. They’ll return just 37.2% of their total offensive production in 2026 after graduating Brian Mendez, Leo Ceren, Quenton Rawls, and Jordan Benitez in the summer, who made up for nearly 71% of their total offensive production alone. In 2027 it does appear that they will return ‘27 ST Rodrigro Aviles, who contributed 18 goals and a 5 assists as a talented No. 9 for the Warriors. Freshman Ezekiel Palma had genuine playmaking contribution with 10 assists last year, Christian Guevara and Jesus Martinez both return as a solid defensive pairing. Junior Goalkeeper Raichlen Fisk will likely be the starting goalkeeper after the Warriors graduated Israel Andrade in the summer. With all of this in mind, Westwood may regress as they lose a bunch of talent on attack, but could be a solid play in 6A.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 Rodrigo Aviles (18 G / 5 A)
• ‘29 Ezekiel Palma (1 G / 10 A)
• ’27 D Jesus Martinez
• ’27 Christian Guevara

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Leo Ceren
• ‘26 Brian Mendez
• ‘26 Quenton Rawls
• ‘26 Jordan Benitez

#21 – Tolleson (6A)

2026 Record: 13-5-2

Tolleson barely missed out on the Open last-season as the #14 seed in 6A with a 8-3-1 regular season record. They had a decent season in which they defeated Verrado twice as well as a 3-1 win over 5A-runner ups Fairfax. They made it to the 2nd round of the 6A playoffs before losing to eventual runner-ups San Luis. While they did struggle against elite-comp, the team, who was primarily powered by 20-goal scorer Anthony Contreras, often saw themselves in competitive games, if not blowout wins against a relatively weak region. While Contreras is gone as a member of the Class of 26, Tolleson has multiple solid underclassmen who are expected to step up in 2027 to fill in. ‘27 Attacking Midfielder Thomas Garcia scored 12 goals to go along with 4 assists in 20 games, while ‘28 ST Darwin Guillett bagged 9 goals and 7 assists operating in partnership with Contreras at the striker position. It does appear that Tolleson graduated a great-deal of seniors on defense and goalkeeping, so that will be something to keep an eye on going into the season. In any case, Tolleson’s young attack gained a lot of experience last season, and it may be time for the Wolverines to finally make a big run in the playoffs.

Key Returners:

• ‘28 ST Darwin Guillett
• ‘27 CF Thomas Garcia

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Anthony Contreras (21 G / 4 A)

#22 – Sunnyslope (6A)

2026 Record: 13-7-2

Sunnyslope fielded a team with one of the least senior-heavy rosters in the state last season to finish with an above average record. The Vikings return 93.4% of their total offensive production, 2nd to only #2 Sunnyside in our Preseason Top 24. Goalkeeper Cruz Jaramillo (who played the majority of last-season as the primary GK), along with Fernando Figueroa also both return. In terms of results, Sunnyslope faced a tough result in pretty much every game versus a true Open-contender, with their best result likely being a 2-2 OT draw with #6 O’Connor. Sunnyslope returns a much more experienced team in 2026, and though they do share a region with Brophy, they could find themselves in a scrap to make it into the Open, but will more than likely compete in 6A.

Key Returners:

• ‘27 Cameron Holvea (11 G / 7 A)
• ‘27 Jake Keebler (11 G / 10 A)
• ‘27 Johnny Tejada (5 G / 6 A)
• ‘29 Lennix Broderick (6 G / 1 A)

#23 – ALA Gilbert North (4A)

The 4A Conference Champions had one of the most electric offenses in the state last season as they put up nearly 5 goals per game in 2026. The Eagles, while they arguably played one of the weaker schedules during the regular season (registering as a 0.5 Str. Rating Via. MaxPreps), made it into the Open and even won a game against Desert Mountain before losing in the Round of 16. That said, they ran through the rest of 4A once they were placed in the 4A bracket.

In 2027, they’ll return their leading goal scorer from last-season, ’27 MJ Morris, who scored 22 goals and assisted on 16 last season. Senior Madden Hall and Sophomore Seth McEuen, who were both solid contributors on attack, are expected to return as well. GK Shane Keller also will return for his senior year.

The Eagles lost a typical amount of seniors in 2026, more so on attack with Garrett Baker, Emerson Hall, and Logan Gonzalez all moving on.

With 4A Mica Mountain expected to finish in the Open and usual 4A-contender Salpointe now in 5A, the conference now appears right for the taking for ALA Gilbert-North, though it does seem like it would take a lot for the Eagles to make noise in the Open tournament.

#24 – Desert Mountain (5A)

2026 Record: 12-6-1

Key Returners:

• ‘27 Hudson Lobb (15 G / 3 A)
• ’27 Rabiel Adem (7 G / 6 A)

Key Losses:

• ‘26 Kenan Nasic (9 G / 5 A)
• ‘26 Zakariya Abouseido (7 G / 6 A)