Pajaro Valley High senior Valeria Acosta was named the Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division’s co-Most Valuable Player for the 2023-24 girls soccer season.
Acosta and Giselle Zepeda of league champion Soledad High will share this year’s top honors after both players had superb seasons on the pitch.
Acosta finished with 19 goals and one assist, while Zepeda had 18 goals and nine assists, according to statistics on the MaxPreps website.
“I was very happy and proud of myself for achieving this because to me it’s a big deal,” Acosta said. “All that hard work you put in the season and there could be a good outcome at the end, it made me happy.”
Pajaro Valley head coach Kristian Flores said each team they faced knew Acosta was their go-to player, yet they still weren’t able to stop her from either scoring a goal or creating an opportunity for a teammate.
The amazing part is that Acosta, a junior, sat out for most of the preseason and still scored 10 goals from the midfield position before making the move to a striker.
“I think she was the best player, hands down,” Flores said.
Flores was hoping Acosta would solely win the MVP award, but coaches within the Mission Division believed Zepeda was deserving of it, as well.
Soledad senior standout Sophia Martel was on her way to winning back-to-back top honors after scoring 20 goals in just eight games played. But she graduated in December and did not play with the Aztecs the rest of the way.
Acosta said she always put the team’s success ahead of her individual accomplishments, especially when it came to qualifying for the Central Coast Section playoffs.
“I’m gonna work for my team and if [the MVP award] happens, I’ll get it,” she said.
Acosta helped lead Pajaro Valley to a 10-6-3 overall record and runner-up in the Mission Division with an 8-1-3 record in league play just behind Soledad (9-2-1). The Grizzlies lost, 4-1, to Alvarez High in the CCS Division IV playoffs.
Acosta had major help from fellow teammates Scarlet Gomez and Leilanie Vazquez, who all earned All-PCAL First Team honors. Jennifer Martinez, Aniah Federico and Rocio Acosta—Valeria’s younger sister—earned all-league second team honors.
On the defensive side, Federico had 60 saves as the main goalkeeper and Rocio Acosta helped the Grizzlies’ defense concede just 10 goals during Mission Division action this season.
“It goes to show that we were good in both regards of being able to defend and being able to score,” Flores said. “But I think it’s good that as a team they were all recognized with those first team and second team awards.”
Flores said that each player contributed in a different way, which helped Valeria Acosta score from anywhere on the pitch. Gomez, who led the team with 10 assists, and Vazquez were a midfield duo that would find Acosta to cap it off.
“It’s good that they’re being recognized for the amazing players that they were all season,” Flores said.
Valeria Acosta said everyone put in 100% of an effort and at the end of the day she’s proud of how the season resulted regardless of the outcome.
“I know that we’ll be back and I know that everyone tried their best to make it as far as we did,” she said. “Their motivation, it really showed.”
Acosta will continue to play during the offseason with her club team, PV United out of Watsonville.
Below is a complete list of this season’s PCAL all-league individual awards and teams.
Mission Division
co-Most Valuable Players: Valeria Acosta, Pajaro Valley; Giselle Zepeda, Soledad
Defensive Player of the Year: Mariana Leon, Soledad
First team
Scarlet Gomez, Pajaro Valley
Leilanie Vazquez, Pajaro Valley
Valeria Acosta, Pajaro Valley
Julia Reiland, Monte Vista Christian
Alexa Malaspina, Monte Vista Christian
Giselle Zepeda, Soledad
Mariana Leon, Soledad
Belen Diaz, Soledad
Jennifer Troncoso, Soledad
Anna Walker-Edwards, Pacific Collegiate
Kate Lane, Pacific Collegiate
Ryan Lott, Carmel
Alison Vega, North Salinas
Jadie Martinez, Seaside
Second team
Aniah Federico, Pajaro Valley
Rocio Acosta, Pajaro Valley
Jennifer Martinez, Pajaro Valley
Ashley Drago, Monte Vista Christian
Amanda Pasag, Monte Vista Christian
Precious Aguilera, Soledad
Alyssa Rico, Soledad
Audrey Gonzalez, Soledad
Mayrin Amilpa, Soledad
Kaia Gurdak, Pacific Collegiate
Amelie Pan, Pacific Collegiate
Olivia Bartle, Carmel
Isabelle Vazquez, North Salinas
Patricia Cavero, Seaside
Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship team
Marla Licea, Pajaro Valley
Ashlyn Hoffman, Monte Vista Christian
Belen Diaz, Soledad
Kat Buckley, Pacific Collegiate
Kaitlyn Myrick, Carmel
Jessica Lopez, North Salinas
Jazly Arango, Seaside
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
Monte Vista Christian
Gabilan Division
Most Valuable Player: Deliah Vega-Aguilar, Salinas
Offensive Player of the Year: Danya Rodriguez, Alvarez
Defensive Player of the Year: Kate Nunes, Salinas
First team
Deliah Vega- Aguilar, Salinas
Kate Nunes, Salinas
Morgan Retterer, Salinas
Isabella Flores, Salinas
Natalie Vargas, Alvarez
Danya Rodriguez, Alvarez
Jennifer Montes, Alvarez
Lauren Green, Hollister
Itzel Florez, Hollister
Karina Vargas, Rancho San Juan
Sherlyn Farfan, Rancho San Juan
Jackie Cano, Watsonville
Emma Esparza, Monterey
Elizabeth Ortega, Alisal
Second team
Praisa Lowe, Salinas
Mia Grijalva, Salinas
Nathalie Sanchez, Salinas
Catherine Pozas, Salinas
Destiny Lopez, Alvarez
Emma Reyes, Alvarez
Brandy Corona, Alvarez
Summer Forrest, Hollister
Jimena Heredia, Hollister
Jenna Emerson, Rancho San Juan
Angelica Medina-Guerrero, Rancho San Juan
Julienna Ramirez, Watsonville
Tillie Joseph, Monterey
Stephanie Zarate, Alisal
Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship team
Mia Grijalva, Salinas
Angie Zamora, Alvarez
Jesseira Allen, Hollister
Chantal Ramos-Verdin, Rancho San Juan
Jayleen Zamora, Watsonville
Isabella Licea, Monterey
Aileen Cardenas, Alisal
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
Hollister
Cypress Division
Most Valuable Player: Alessia Torrente, York
Offensive Player of the Year: Samantha Ortiz-Naranjo, York
Defensive Player of the Year: Samantha Martinez, St. Francis
First team
Alessia Torrente, York
Samantha Ortiz-Naranjo, York
Eleanor Johnson, York
Izabella Tejeda, York
Sophia Martinez, North County
Melissa villa Alvarado, North County
Isavela Valadez, North County
Gianna Castello, Notre Dame
Paula Mendez, Notre Dame
Destiny Mosqueda, King City
Samantha Paramo, King City
Olivia DaSilva, Santa Catalina
Alexis DeFord, Pacific Grove
Samantha Martinez, St. Francis
Second team
Alexa Arango-Cuevas, York
Sarah Tate, York
Rose Finn, York
Minx Adelman, York
Isabella Hernández, North County
Andrea Ibarra, North County
Tatiana Hernández, North County
Allison Guerra, Notre Dame
Norah Macdonald, Notre Dame
Lesley Arreola, King City
Iran Ibarra, King City
Delilah Fujita, Santa Catalina
Olivia Amaditz, Pacific Grove
Monserrat Ramirez, St. Francis
Richard Chamberlin All Sportsmanship team
Rose Finn, York
Arianna Jimenez, North County
Jenna Alaniz, Notre Dame
Ruby Morales, King City
Fatima Cortes, Santa Catalina
Kennedi Biondi, Pacific Grove
Hailey Mae Ritter, St. Francis
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
King City
Santa Lucia Division
Most Valuable Player: Chloe Vogel, Stevenson
Defensive Player of the Year: Siena Bullock, Stevenson
Offensive Player of the Year: Valerie Oliva, Gonzales
First team
Chloe Vogel, Stevenson
Ava Edwards, Stevenson
Siena Bullock-Martinez, Stevenson
Georgia Bonifas, Stevenson
Emily Ochoa, Gonzales
Katherine Toledo, Gonzales
Valerie Oliva, Gonzales
Andrea Marquez, Gonzales
Aundrea Sanchez, Greenfield
Fatima Jaime -Jimenez, Marina
Jadah Gustus, Marina
Isabella Briceno, Anzar
Jenelle Quintero, Ceiba
Desiree Peraza, Trinity
Second team
Macey Torres, Stevenson
Mia Schlenker, Stevenson
Nini Stewart, Stevenson
Mack Bellomo, Stevenson
Alessandra Tejeda, Gonzales
Grecia Valdez, Gonzales
Janelle Garcia, Gonzales
Kim Zavala, Greenfield
Aideliz Moreno, Greenfield
Cindy Fernandez Vasquez, Marina
Gracy Ruiz-Gamino, Marina
Jasmin Salinas, Anzar
Martha Garciaguirre, Ceiba
Isabelle Combs, Trinity
Richard Chamberlin All-Sportsmanship Team
Georgia Bonifas, Stevenson
Isabella Camargo, Gonzales
Destiny Hernandez, Greenfield
Gizelle Jeronimo, Marina
Marbella Barron, Anzar
Tatum Ramones, Trinity
Ariela Longoria, Ceiba
Elgie Bellizio Team Sportsmanship Award
Anzar and Trinity Christian
