Fountain Valley Boys’ Soccer Team Earns Top Seeding

Fountain Valley, top ranked in Orange County, is the top-seeded team in the Southern Section Division I boys’ soccer playoffs, which begin Wednesday.

“We’re playing well and we deserve it,” Fountain Valley Coach Kevin Smith said Monday.

The Barons made the biggest turnaround of any team in the county, rebounding from a 5-11-6 season a year ago to a 19-3 record this year. The Barons, Sunset League champions, were ranked No. 1 in the county and the Southern Section throughout the second half of the season.

Smith said he doesn’t believe his team will feel the pressure that usually comes with being the division’s top-seeded team.

“After what happened last year, if the season ended today, we’d have to say we’ve had a successful year,” he said. “We’ve made a tremendous improvement. Anything we do in the playoffs would be icing.

“The key for us is staying mentally focused and getting psyched to play. We’re talented enough to beat anyone.”

Fountain Valley is led by junior forward Joey Vasquez, who has 16 goals and 10 assists. It will play Friday against the winner of a Wednesday wild-card game between Upland (18-7-1) and Dana Hills (9-10-1).

South Coast League champion Capistrano Valley (15-3-5) was seeded fourth in the division.

El Dorado (15-3-3) is seeded third in Division II and will play Bellflower St. Bosco (14-8-2) in the first round Friday.

* PLAYOFF PAIRINGS: C9