MaxPreps 2013 Soccer Early Contenders: Maria Carrillo girls

Toughest games: While they may face some quality squads in their home area, the Pumas have their hands full with a trip to the McDonogh Invitational in Maryland, Sept. 5-8. They will face Our Lady of Good Counsel (another national title Early Contender) and also McDonogh, a tough school from the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference as well.

Question marks: Can complacency or a false sense of superiority bring this team down after winning a mythical national title? Maria Carrillo has experienced amazing amounts of success lately, and players may think that showing up entitles them to victories.

National look: California plays soccer in three different seasons, and each section chooses which season(s) it wants to play in. That makes it hard to determine how good the state as a whole is on the national scene. Furthermore, the North Coast Section and the Northern Section (mostly made up of tiny rural schools) are the only California ones that play in the fall.

In summary: "We have high expectations for this team, they expect to win and have the talent and ability to fight for every game. They understand that it takes team effort, and playing as individuals will only take them so far. But at the same time the individual that can change the outcome of a game when your number is called."
- Head coach Debra LaPrath