SHP No. 1 in DI and looking to stay unbeaten

The Gators will still have a chance at winning a CCS title, however, and it starts at 1 p.m. Saturday when they host No. 8 South City (11-4-5). Given their performance this season, the Gators have as good a shot as any to be standing on top at the end of the tournament. They went 13-0-1 in West Bay Athletic League play and have outscored their opponents 70-8 this season. They have scored three or more goals 14 times this season and have poured in five or more goals five times.

“Last year we knew this year would be a very strong year. We had a young team last year with a lot of quality. After we beat Mountain View, scored multiple goals, and beat Sacred Heart Cathedral, we definitely knew we could compete with anybody,” Del Rio said. “We have a lot of depth.”

The offense has been led by strikers Liam Johnson and Kyle Nilsson. The SHP midfield is loaded, with Tommy Hogan, Alexi Stravropoulos, who has scored or assisted in every game, and Kevin Box, who Del Rio calls the “blood, sweat and tears” of the team.

As impressive as the offense has been, the defense has been just as good as the Gators, led by center back Alex Moretti and goalkeeper Jacob Anderson. They have been the anchors of a defense that has posted six shutouts in a row and have 13 clean sheets on the season.

“As much as we’ve been winning and scoring, we haven’t conceded many goals,” Del Rio said.

Instead of being the No. 8 seed in the Open Division, the Gators will now embrace being the top seed in Division I and once the games start, seedings and brackets won’t matter. Del Rio knows that any loss will not only be the first of the season, but it will be the last because a defeat at this time of the year ends the season.

“I think everyone feels proud and honored to be the No. 1 seed in Division I. But I feel we have a bit of chip on our shoulder not making the Open,” Del Rio said. “Division I is almost like the Open Division. We really are embracing the challenge.”