(Yuma Catholic has won three 3A titles in a row under coach Ralph Evans. Photo by Mark Jones/maxpreps.com)

Yuma Catholic coach Ralph Evans said his 2017-18 team is a lot more focused.

Based on final results, Evans’ 2016-17 team also seemed focused, and the same can be said about the team before that season and the team before that season.

If a more motivated Yuma Catholic side takes the field during the 2017-18 playoffs, the Shamrocks might make short work of four postseason opponents.

And if that happens, the program would become the third boys soccer program in the state to ever win four consecutive titles.

“We lost only one senior from a year ago,” Evans said. “They have been more committed this season to the goals we set last year, and the chemistry within the team has greatly improved.”

During its three-year championship run, Yuma Catholic, 15-0 this season, hasn’t lost a game to an in-conference opponent.

The closest it came to smelling a 3A Conference regular season defeat was during a 1-1 tie to Fountain Hills in the 2014-15 season. This season’s team is well-fortified from front to back.

Forwards Ramon Urbano and Eluterio Gutierrez (46 combined goals) provide the scoring punch, but Yuma Catholic’s defense also is a pleasure to watch.

“Our defense (Filliberto Quintero, Daniel Castillo, Edgar Guiterrez, and Stocton Rush) is a coach’s dream,” Evans said. “They are strong, fast and communicate extremely well.”

It doesn’t happen often, but if attacking players get past Yuma Catholic’s back line, goalkeeper Rush Vance (11 shutouts, state best .111 goal against average) is also more than capable of shutting them down.

Junior Mendez, Ernie Guiterrez, Jonah Franco and David Castanon guard and control the middle, and there’s also depth on on this year’s team. There isn’t a drop off when subs Ed Morales (7 goals, 5 assists) and Michael Johnson (4 goals, 2 assists) enter the game.

“Our subs have stepped up this year, so when they do enter the pitch the quality of our game has maintained,” Evans said. “Winning is pretty basic. If you don't have a great scoring offense, you better have a great defense. I put a lot of attention on our defense, and it has paid off.”

Yuma Catholic, the No. 2 tournament seed, will try to put it all together in the playoffs beginning on Tuesday in the first round against No. 15 seed River Valley.

Chasing Yuma Catholic

This is the second year that Arizona College Prep, a Chandler Unified District school, earned the No. 1 seed.

The top seed wasn’t too kind to the team last year, when it lost to eventual champ Yuma Catholic in the state quarterfinals. If AZ College Prep faces Yuma Catholic again, it won’t be until the Feb. 10, 7 p.m. final at Williams Field High School.

“We have a great group of players that work hard and support each other,” AZ College Prep coach Alberto Millan Rivera said. “The quality and talent of the group helps, but the work they put in and their desire to better themselves is impressive.”

What’s also impressive about the team is that it reached the semifinals of the Arizona College Showcase and was the runner-up in the Chandler Prep tourney.

“Our leaders are Mile McCunniff, a senior right back, Jesse Ramirez, a senior left midfielder, Seamus McCarthy, a junior right midfielder and Kadin Rabo (22 goals, 15 assists), a sophomore forward,” said Rivera, AZ College Prep’s second-year coach.

This is the second consecutive year that AZ College Prep (12-0-2) also finished undefeated.

One of its victories came against No. 3 seed Casteel, and its two ties were against teams in higher conferences, Cactus Shadows and Desert Ridge.

Maybe a lower seed will treat No. 4 Safford better this year. Last year, as the No. 2 seed, Safford was upset in PK’s by No. 15 Sahuarita, which reached the semifinals.

On paper, Safford appears to be the favorite heading into its first round opponent No. 13 Thatcher.

But when two rivals meet for the third time (Safford outscored Thatcher 7-2 in the regular season.) in a season, anything can happen. So 14-0 Safford isn’t likely overlooking its first round opponent, especially after what happened last year.

“Like most of the other top team in the state, these boys have played with each other for most of their soccer lives,” Safford coach E.J. Romero said. “They have competed with and against each other since they were 4, 5 and 6 years old.”

Forward Dante Bryce and Garrett Gonzalez have each scored 20 goals, but 13 other players have also scored for Safford.

Two final four teams from last year also figure to be contenders, NFL Yet and Northwest Christian. NFL Yet reached the semifinalis two seasons ago in their first season as an Arizona Interscholastic Association member.

Last year it was the 3A runner-up. Does it take the next step and win the title this year?

“The school community likes soccer very much, and has it in its DNA,” said Peruvian native Julio Zavaleta, NFL Yet’s coach. “But the most important thing is that the players understand that they have to play as a team and not individually.

“We hope to achieve the goal, winning the state championship.”

Midfielders Richard Torres (20 goals, 17 assists) and Filiberto Reyes and defender Christian Castro will have a lot to say in how far NFL Yet goes this year.

The state’s leading goal scorer, according to maxpreps, calls Northwest Christian home.

Sophomore Michael Huss has scored 35 goals this season.

“We have some good players that work hard and have fun together,” Northwest Christian coach Jeremy Witt said. “There are a lot of laughs at practice and they keep the mood light. We don’t have a lot of club players, but we have guys that want to work hard and get results.”

Notes

Not a single senior dots No. 3 Casteel’s roster, but the youngsters are doing just fine. Freshman Kaden Cameron leads the team with 30-plus goals, and another freshman, Mason Salonic, can play anywhere and is a threat in the air, coach Greg Lanman said. Sophomores Johnathan Day, Juaquin Ramos, Jacob Chow and Josh Kowalski are also producing. Lanman, a former all-state player at Glendale High, is in his first season as head coach. … No. 5 American Leadership Academy Queen Creek is making its second consecutive trip to the playoffs. … This is the first time in almost 15 years that No. 11 Bourgade Catholic earned a playoff berth. Coach Alejandro Luna and his staff are entering their third year at the school. “We have a large group of players who are interchangeable and can comfortably play multiple positions, and we have been fortunate enough to keep everyone on the team healthy throughout the season,” Luna said. … Last season, No. 10 Empire only had one senior, but this season the team has a “solid balance of players ranging from freshmen to seniors.” Midfielder Jordan Cartwright is a two-year captain, incredibly smart on and off the ball, tough as nail and technically gifted, said coach Sean Abrigo, the head coach for University of Arizona’s women’s soccer club team. The “heart” of Empire’s defense is Jensen Powell. … First-year Tempe Prep coach Steven Day credited former coach Adam Potter for laying down the foundation for the success of his No. 9-seeded team. Tempe Prep’s captains are Tyler Trevillyan (15 goals), Carter Sampson and Cameron Pickard. … Coach Patrick Andrew started the Horizon Honors program 17 years ago and returned to the team, after nine seasons with the girls, last season. “ (No. 8 Horizon Honors has built upon the achievement of last year by adding a talented freshmen group,” Andrew said. “Perhaps the biggest reason for the team’s continued success is the work ethic and kinship within the team. Despite the spate of injuries, the team found ways to raise their performance level and qualify for state.” Senior captains Noe Ramirez and Daniel Haros as well as Ryan Holquin, Ryand Hickie, Demetrio Macias, and Ben Bongard have played different positions throughout the season.