The Merced boys soccer team rolled through Central California Conference play without a loss, grabbing pivotal points at every opportunity.
Golden Valley nearly went step for step with the defending Division I champions, receiving key contributions from old stars and new ones en route to a runnerup finish and postseason berth.
Central California Conferences coaches found that to be quite impressive, awarding Golden Valley all of the major awards at their coaches meeting recently.
Merced Sun-Star - PHOTO BY LISA JAMES
Golden Valley junior Memo Ramirez was named Central California Conference Goalkeeper of the Year recently.
Junior striker Matt Hubbard was named the Outstanding Offensive Player after leading the conference in goals.
Senior Emmanuel Castellon was Defensive Player of the Year and junior Memo Ramirez was Goalkeeper of the Year for the second consecutive year.
To top it off, Lee Shaw was named Coach of the Year for the first time in his four-year career.
"It is a bit surprising," Shaw said of the clean sweep. "All these guys know that these are team awards. They know that.
"Matt knows the team won him that award, so do the others. Bill (Castellon), Memo, they think the same way. They won other people's appreciation for the way we played.
"I don't think any of them look at these as individual awards. We were the second-place team, but only by two points, so it wasn't like we were long shots."
Statistically, the awards appear justified.
Hubbard, a converted defender, led the conference in scoring with 10 goals -- three better than Merced forwards Cristian Alvarez and Octavio Murillo, the 2008 recipient.
Castellon and Ramirez anchored the CCC's top defense. Golden Valley held opponents to just 17 goals -- lowest in the conference.
Ramirez had 12 shutouts, becoming the third Shaw-coached goalie -- in either club or high school, to win the award in the last five years.
Shaw also coached Atwater's Fernando Rios (2005, '06) and Buhach Colony's Martin Aguilar ('07) in club soccer.
"I don't think there's anyone in the league that can make the saves Memo makes," Shaw said.
Merced (17-3-4), which won its second straight conference title and is 20-1-3 in that span, placed four on the all-CCC first team: Alvarez (league-best 10 assists and 24 points), Murillo and midfielders Krys Ruiz and Adam Rabago.
Stopper Daniel Byrne joined his decorated Golden Valley teammates on the first team.
Also earning first-team honors: Atwater's Juan Madrigal and Samuel Carrillo; Buhach Colony's Austin Schwalbach; and Los Banos' Javier Medina.
Merced and Golden Valley continue their seasons on Friday in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs.
Merced will host Downey of the Modesto Metro Conference, while Golden Valley (16-2-2) travels to the University of the Pacific to face Stagg, the two-time Tri-City Athletic League champion.
Both games start at 3 p.m.
All-CCC Soccer
Most Outstanding Offense: Matt Hubbard, Golden Valley
Most Outstanding Defense: Emmanuel Castellon, GV
Goalkeeper of the Year: Memo Ramirez, Golden Valley
Coach of the Year: Lee Shaw, Golden Valley
First Team
Octavio Murillo, Merced, forward
Cristian Alvarez, Merced, forward
Krys Ruiz, Merced, midfield
Adam Rabago, Merced, midfield
Daniel Byrne, Golden Valley, defense
Juan Madrigal, Atwater, midfield
Samuel Carrillo, Atwater, defense
Austin Schwalbach, Buhach Colony, midfield
Tristan Silva, Turlock, forward
Javier Medina, Los Banos, defense
Memo Ramirez, Golden Valley, goalie
Second Team
Drake Burch, Merced, defense
Andrew Jaurique, Merced, goalie
Elias Ruiz, Golden Valley, midfield
Fabian Bustos, Golden Valley, forward
Dario Martinez, Atwater, forward
Tony Garcia, Atwater, forward
Nick Kirn, Buhach Colony, goalie
Diego Mortera, Buhach Colony, midfield
Christian Martinez, Turlock, defense
Luiz Aldaco, Los Banos, midfield
Diego Martinez, Pitman, defense
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