SBLive Oregon’s top athletes of 2022-23: Meet the boys soccer stars

Looking back at some of the best high school athletes of the 2022-23 school year

By René Ferrán | Photo by Taylor Balkom 

The high school sports season has wrapped up in Oregon, so SBLive Oregon is looking back at some of the best high school athletes of 2022-23. 

Over the next week, we'll be highlighting some of the top players in all classifications in volleyball, soccer, football, basketball, softball and baseball.

Here is the SBLive Oregon all-state boys soccer team. 

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First team

F Ariel de Dios Cruz, Willamette, junior

De Dios Cruz was the Southwest Conference player of the year and a first-team 6A all-state selection who led the Wolverines with 15 goals as they reached the second round of the state playoffs. 

F Abdoulie Jallow, McKay, junior

A year ago, Jallow and his family moved from The Gambia on the West African coast to the Willamette Valley, and in his first year at his new school, Jallow scored 16 goals — including a brace in the OSAA 5A state championship game that lifted the Royal Scots to their first title.

F Zac Levin, Lakeridge, senior

The Pacers won three games in Levin’s freshman year in 2019. Three years later, the Westminster College commit earned Three Rivers League player of the year honors and led the Pacers to their first league title since 2016 and a 6A quarterfinal appearance with 23 goals and 12 assists.

F Drew Pedersen, Jesuit, senior

The 6A player of the year and Gonzaga signee played a big part in the Crusaders achieving their goal of winning a 16th state championship, scoring six goals in five playoff games — including two goals and an assist in the state final to cap a season in which he scored 26 goals with 12 assists.

M Hudson Brunk, McNary, senior

Brunk will join Pedersen on the Gonzaga team after leading the Celtics to the Central Valley Conference title — their first league championship since 2014 — scoring 28 goals with 12 assists to win CVC player of the year honors.

M Alex Chen, Oregon Episcopal, senior

Chen was the leader of an Aardvarks team that won the program’s first OSAA 3A/2A/1A state title since 2014 and seventh overall, finishing with 15 goals and 10 assists and being named 3A/2A/1A player of the year.

M Yahir Ocampo-Navarro, Aloha, senior

The Warriors hadn’t reached the OSAA 6A state semifinals since 1989 until last fall, when Ocampo-Navarro — a Metro League co-player of the year and first-team all-state selection — led them that far by scoring a team-high 10 goals.

M Quentin Strange, La Salle Prep, senior

Strange won Northwest Oregon Conference and 5A player of the year honors, scoring 12 goals with 12 assists for the Falcons in leading them to the state semifinals.

D Dominic Hoar-Weiler, Jesuit, senior

Hoar-Weiler not only was a dominant presence on a Crusaders back line that posted seven shutouts and allowed just 17 goals, but he also chipped in seven assists for the 6A state champions.

D Carter Kroenke, Wells, senior

Kroenke earned PIL co-defensive player of the year and first-team all-state honors, helping the Guardians win a share of the league title and reach the second round of the 6A state playoffs.

D Devin LaCasse-Tran, West Albany, junior

The Bulldogs had never won a state playoff game before last season, but with LaCasse-Tran anchoring a defense that slowed two of 5A’s most potent offenses — Parkrose and Summit — in the postseason, West Albany reached the state final and LaCasse-Tran made the all-state first team.

D Jairo Perez Santiago, Woodburn, senior

Perez Santiago was a first-team all-state selection for a Bulldogs defense that posted five clean sheets and allowed 12 goals in 14 games — fourth-fewest in 5A. 

GK Diego Garibay, McKay, senior

Garibay was named Mid-Willamette Conference player of the year and posted 13 shutouts for the 5A state champion Royal Scots, allowing just four goals in backstopping a unit that started 10 nonseniors. 

Player of the year

Drew Pedersen, Jesuit, senior

Coach of the year

Juan Llamas, McKay

The year before Llamas took over the Royal Scots program, they went 2-9-4 in 2017. In his first season, he led them to a second-place finish in the Mountain Valley Conference, and in Year 5, the program won the first OSAA state title in a team sport in school history — a result he foresaw when he told his wife earlier in the season not to make plans for the day of the 5A final, the same as his daughter’s birthday. 

Second team

F Jaaziel Chavez, Ontario, senior

F JJ Diaz, Westview, senior

F Ismael Esparza, Stayton, junior

F Saul Martinez Colin, Gresham, senior

M Henry Catlin, West Albany, junior

M Jamis Gonzalez, Ontario, senior

M Gunder Miller, Lincoln, junior

M Sergio Varela, Century, senior

D Braeden Carter, Oregon Episcopal, senior

D Ben Evans, Summit, senior

D Bo Robertson, Central Catholic, senior

D Sergio Ruiz, McKay, junior

GK Zach Andoh, Lincoln, senior

Third team

F Aidan Brouddus, Sherwood, senior

F Mateo Candanoza, Philomath, senior

F Angel Castillo, McLoughlin, junior

F Charles Lacey, South Eugene, senior

M Kenneth Bae, Lincoln, senior

M Aidan MacLennan, Summit, senior

M Christian Martinez Trejo, Glencoe, junior

M Danny Palomino, Phoenix, senior

D Anders Davidson, South Eugene, senior

D Luke Warner, La Salle Prep, senior

D Raul Rendon Benitez, Catlin Gabel, junior

D Luca Ridgewell, Lake Oswego, freshman

GK Teddy Benbow, Philomath, senior