The top players give their best performances on the biggest stages, and Richmond senior Addison Escobar certainly did that, culminating his final season of high school soccer by scoring all three of the Oilers’ goals in a 3-1 Division II title game victory over San Lorenzo.

Escobar finished the year with 65 points, including 27 goals scored, and was generally considered to be the most difficult forward to mark in the section. Local coaches raved about his ability after watching him control a late-season draw against Division I runner-up De La Salle, and his own coach, Rene Siles, referred to his performance in the post-season as “simply outstanding.”

For his efforts, Escobar is the Prep2Prep NCS player of the year.

Escobar’s performance this season not only got people talking about his ability, but also became a source of pride for the Richmond community. The Oilers captured their first section title in 21 years, in a sport where they have become synonymous with success.

It was his title game performance, however, that really put Escobar over the top in terms of comparison with other local players. Tied at halftime with the Rebels in the championship game, Escobar made sure that Richmond would bring home the trophy, putting two second-half opportunities in the net, setting off a community-wide celebration of the Oilers’ title. Escobar plans to continue his soccer career at Sonoma State next year.

The championship game victory completed a run of 14 victories in the Oilers’ final 16 games, and confirmed what many thought was possible when Richmond moved down from Division I to Division II this season. For Escobar, however, his performances and the team’s success transcended the program, in what he referred to as “accomplishing the dream that Richmond High had been waiting for.”

“(Addison) really became a team player and team leader as the season went on,” said Siles, who switched Escobar to the center forward position in January. “He really put his ego to the side, and did what was needed for the team.”

The decision to switch Escobar to center forward did not come easily. A left wing with his club team, Siles initially played Escobar at his natural position, and then moved him to an attacking midfield position. Ultimately, it was the center forward position, though, that triggered the Oilers’ late-season run and enabled the team to achieve one of Siles’ annual expectations – to play “beautiful soccer.”

On a team with 12 underclassmen, it could have been easy for there to be a divide between players such as Escobar, Roberto Rios, and the rest of the team. Siles made it clear, however, that this was never a concern of the Oilers’ staff due to the efforts of Escobar and the other seniors.

“Our top players such as Addison and Roberto just melted in with the rest of the team,” said Siles. “We had a great mix of age and maturity, and it was due to the true leadership that we received.”

For both his tangible in-game performances, and his intangible qualities off the field, Escobar is our choice for the Prep2Prep North Coast Section Player of the Year.

After leading the Oilers to their first section championship since 1994, Rene Siles is the choice to receive the Prep2Prep NCS Coach of the Year honor.

This year marked the fourth consecutive league title for Richmond, but previously as a member of the Division I playoff bracket, the Oilers had not advanced past the semifinals since a title-game loss to Monte Vista in 2006. They had made it to the quarterfinals every season, however, leading many to feel that this year’s team had a legitimate shot at the title after being dropped down to the Division II classification.

Siles’ team did not disappoint, playing well against top-notch competition all season long to prepare for a post-season run. They battled Division I champion San Ramon Valley to a 2-1 loss, and earned a draw against Division I runner-up De La Salle. Along the way, they defeated strong out-of-section opponents such as Bullard-Fresno and Granite Hills-El Cajon.

Team defense became a trademark of Siles’ program this season, as the Oilers had a stretch of six consecutive shutouts during league play, and rolled into the section championship game without allowing a goal in their first three postseason contests.

Despite the loss of eight seniors from this year’s Richmond squad, the cupboard is far from bare for Siles heading into the 2015-2016 campaign. He will have 12 returners from his championship team, including three freshmen who will be making an impact for years to come.

Even more impressive is what will happen with those seniors. All eight of them are headed to four-year colleges, achieving one of the program’s big goals – academic success. The Oilers had a team GPA above 3.0, and players such as Addison Escobar (Sonoma State) and Roberto Rios (Chico State or Sonoma State) will have the opportunity to represent the Richmond High soccer program at the collegiate level.

With Siles at the helm, and his annual expectations for the program, there is no reason not to believe that Richmond will be in a position to continue their success into future seasons.

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