Getting to the goal

Mike Sciacca, Independent

It seems that there hasn’t been a soccer field in the Southern

California area that Michael Oseguera hasn’t played on in recent months.

Last weekend at Bonita High in La Verne, the Marina High senior took

part in the All-CIF All-Star Game. Oseguera, a goalie, played on the

Division II team that battled the Division I All-Stars.

The weekend prior, he started in goal for the South, which went on to

shut out the North, 2-0, in the 26th annual High School All-Star game

played at Duarte High.

“It’s been fun these past two weeks,” Oseguera said. “I’m having a

good time because I get to see guys that I play against in club soccer

during the year.”

Oseguera, a four-year varsity player at Marina, certainly made the

most of his senior season.

His being named the Vikings’ MVP during his sophomore year showed the

promise he had, and in the 2001-02 season he was named first-team

All-Sunset League for the second consecutive year and was named

first-team All-CIF Division II.

During the course of the year, he posted 14 shutouts.

He will find out if he will once again be named team MVP when Marina

holds its team banquet Monday night.

But, that’s not what was important about the season, he said.

“Making All-CIF was the topper to what was a great season for our

team,” said the 18-year-old.

Marina, which finished runner-up in the Sunset League race, advanced

to its first postseason appearance since 1994. The Vikings won their

opener with Oseguera guarding the net in a shut out of Anaheim, 1-0. They

were eliminated from title contention in a second-round, 2-0, loss to

Loyola.

His play this season did not go unnoticed by several schools, who

actively recruited him. UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State

Sacramento, Westmont and Azusa Pacific all pursued him.

He signed with the Golden Bears in February.

“Cal’s got a strong, Division I program and is a great school. It will

be awesome playing in the Pac-10 Conference, too. I know Cal has a good

recruiting class coming in next year. I’m glad to be a part of it,” he

said.

Oseguera has played soccer since the age of 4 and played North

Huntington Beach club soccer for six years. He currently plays with the

Mission Viejo-based Pateadores club 18-and-under team.

* MIKE SCIACCA is the education and sports reporter. He can be reached

at (714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.