Men's Soccer: Roadrunners total six all-conference postseason honors

First-team All-South Coast Conference selections for Rio Hondo are Jose Paredes, Angel Flores, and Alex Saenz.
First-team All-South Coast Conference selections for Rio Hondo are Jose Paredes, Angel Flores, and Alex Saenz.

After just recently been named the No. 5 seed for the upcoming Southern California Regional Playoffs, six members of the Rio Hondo College men's soccer team were honored with All-South Coast Conference postseason awards. Three Roadrunners earned first-team accolades with three more being placed on the second-team.

Leading the way on the first team were freshman goalkeeper Jose Paredes (El Monte HS), freshman midfielder Angel Flores (Chino HS), and sophomore defender Alex Saenz (Nogales HS).

Paredes was outstanding for the Roadrunners in his first season as he ranked second in the SCC with an impressive 0.87 goals against average over 15 matches. He allowed just 12 goals, totaled 71 saves, and posted six shutouts. Flores led Rio Hondo with 10 points off four goals and two assists. Saenz helped anchor a defense that allowed 1.10 goals against per game.

Second team picks for Rio Hondo were sophomore midfielder Nicholas Knapp (Wilson HS), sophomore midfielder Carlos Jimenez (Nogales HS), and sophomore defender Hector Munoz (Baldwin Park HS).

Knapp was second on the Roadrunners with nine points (3 goals, 3 assists), Jimenez contributed five points (2 goals, 1 assist), while Munoz was also a part of the strong Roadrunner defensive back line.

No. 5 Rio Hondo will host the No. 12 Los Angeles Mission College Eagles in an opening-round SoCal playoff game on Saturday (Nov. 19) at 4 p.m.

The Rio Hondo College Soccer Complex will host a playoff doubleheader as the No. 4-seeded women's soccer team will take on No. 13 Cypress College at 7 p.m. Tickets to the CCCAA postseason event are $12 for general admission and $8 for staff, students, and children.

The Roadrunners, ranked 11th in final regular season CCCAA Men's Soccer Coaches State Poll, enter the postseason with a 9-4-8 overall record. Rio Hondo finished third in the South Coast Conference North Division with a 2-2-4 mark. The Roadrunners are making their second consecutive postseason appearance and fifth overall since 2010.