Inland Area Prep Soccer Top 10
1. Moreno Valley Valley View (6-1-3) – The Eagles’ forward pairing of junior Alex Turkson (6-foot-1, 165 pounds) and senior Miguel Hernandez (5-9, 150) is giving Inland Valley League coaches nightmares over the holiday break. Call Turkson (eight goals) and Hernandez (four goals, three assists) dancing suger plums/sickly-sweet assassins.
LAST RANKED: (No. 1). LAST MATCH: d. Moreno Valley, 4-1, on 12/15.
NEXT MATCH: at Moreno Valley Vista del Lago on 1/5.
2. Riverside King (7-2-3) – The Wolves were ungracious, albeit welcoming hosts as coach Todd Mapes’ team took victories from all opponents to win the Riverside Poly HS Tom Tilson Holiday Classic. The tourney was moved to King’s campus after torrential rains made the field unplayable at Riverside Poly HS.
LAST RANKED: (No. 3). LAST MATCH: d. No. 3 Murrieta Valley, 2-1, on 12/23.
NEXT MATCH: vs. Corona Santiago on 1/4.
3. Murrieta Valley (9-3-1) – The Nighthawks gave away a halftime lead in losing to King in the final at the Tom Classic. Coach Matt Stratton’s team won’t have to look too far for motivation in the new year.
LAST RANKED: (No. 3); LAST MATCH: lost to No. 2 Riverside King, 2-1, on 12/23.
NEXT MATCH: vs. Menifee Heritage on 1/5.
4. Riverside Poly (4-3-2) – The Bears scored 12 goals in consecutive victories over minnows Citrus Valley and Palm Springs, yet couldn’t score against Cajon in a quarterfinal at the Tilson Classic. They should have saved at least few of those for the later rounds, no?’
LAST RANKED: (No. 4). LAST MATCH: lost to San Bernardino Cajon, 2-0, on 12/21.
NEXT MATCH: at Corona Centennial on 1/4.
5. Claremont (8-0-4) – The Wolfpack rolled through the Upland HS Tournament and all the way to No. 5 on this week’s Inland Area Prep Soccer Top 10. This program is clearly among the area’s elite, having already also won the Rancho Cucamonga HS Tournament earlier in December.
LAST WEEK: (No. 9); tied Pomona, 1-1, on 12/22; d. Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda, 7-0, on 12/27; d. La Verne Damien, 4-2, on 12/27; d. Chino, 2-1, on 12/28; d. Fontana, 3-2 (OT), on 12/28.
NEXT MATCH: at Chino Hills on 1/12.
6. Corona (3-0-0) — That Panthers haven’t played since defeating Placentia El Dorado in early December, and will not play again until 2011. A matchup with No. 4 Riverside Poly looms in mid-January.
LAST RANKED: (No. 5). LAST MATCH: d. Placentia El Dorada, 2-1, on 12/3.
NEXT MATCH: at Riverside North on 1/4.
7. Riverside Arlington (4-1-2) – The Lions won three of four matches at the Tilson Classic, though none of which was against ranked competition. Coach Kevin Watson’s side doesn’t play again until 2011.
LAST RANKED: (No. 6). LAST MATCH: d. Palm Springs, 3-0, on 12/20.
NEXT MATCH: at Moreno Valley Rancho Verde on 1/7.
8. Temecula Chaparral (3-3-3) — The Pumas had trouble linking passes together in a 1-0 loss to King in a semifinal at the Tilson Classic. Coach Mark Paterson’s side doesn’t play again until 2011.
LAST RANKED: (No. 7). LAST MATCH: lost to No. 3 Riverside King, 1-0, on 12/21.
NEXT MATCH: at Menifee Paloma Valley on 1/5.
9. Riverside La Sierra (6-2-2) – The Eagles advanced from pool play at the Tilson Classic but were bumped by No. 7 Chaparral in the quarterfinals. Coach Dave Eckonrod’s side doesn’t play again until 2011.
LAST WEEK: (No. 8). LAST MATCH: lost to No. 7 Temecula Chaparral, 2-1, on 12/21.
NEXT MATCH: vs. Riverside Ramona on 1/5.
10. Temecula Great Oak (5-2-2) – The Wolfpack played well at the prestigious Nike SoCal Classic at San Diego Torrey Pines HS but didn’t get past the first day. Coach Geoff Houck’s side doesn’t play again until 2011.
LAST WEEK: (No. 10); tied San Diego Torry Pines, 1-1, on 12/27; lost to La Canada St. Francis, 2-1, on 12/27.
NEXT MATCH: at Costa Mesa Estancia on 1/5.
JUST MISSED: San Bernardino Cajon (11-2-2), Lake Elsinore Lakeside (5-0-3), Ontario (8-1-3).
INLAND FIELDHOUSE 