It’s not often that a defender ranks among the top players in any offensive category, but that was not the case with Branham sophomore Lucas Cuellar, who ranked second among all sophomores with 13 assists, despite playing the left-back position for the Bruins.

Branham may have finished below .500 for the first time since the 2009-2010 season, but Cuellar certainly emerged as a piece for the Bruins to build around as they look to return towards the top of the BVAL-Mount Hamilton Division.

Cuellar also got himself in the scoring column with a goal during a non-league win over Cupertino, but it was his ability to both defend and create scoring opportunities which has him tagged as one of the marquee rising players in the section. And while his three-assist effort in an early win over St. Joseph-Santa Maria may have been his top performance on paper, equally impressive was his ability to create opportunities against the top programs in the ‘A’ division of the Blossom Valley, notching three assists in a pair of one-goal losses to Overfelt, and setting up goals against both Lincoln and Pioneer.

For his efforts throughout the season, we are pleased to recognize Lucas Cuellar as our Central Coast Section Sophomore of the Year.

Other players considered include Prospect’s Dane Pendleton, Valley Christian’s Zach Addison, Santa Teresa’s Brandon Alper, San Lorenzo Valley’s Daniel Cardenas, and Sacred Heart Cathedral’s Dylan Rogers.

NOTE: We would like to thank our media partners, coaches, parents, players and fans for contributing photos for our all-section features. We salute all of the players that have made this a wonderful season of CCS soccer.