Lathrop High seniors Ociel Mora and Janessa Ward both earned major postseason awards after leading their respective teams to runner-up finishes in the Western Athletic Conference.
Mora is the All-WAC boys MVP after cementing himself as the most prolific scorer to come out of the program. Lathrop (9-4-1, 16-8-4 overall) enjoyed its best season and advanced to the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs for a second straight year.
Ward received the girls All-Around Award, shouldering the load offensively for the Spartans (7-3-4, `0-8-4) after they lost their top scorer in the middle of the season.
There are 11 Spartans total on the all-conference boys and girls soccer teams.
Mora paced Lathrop’s boys with nine goals and five assists in 14 league games. He was a big reason why the Spartans were in contention the past two seasons, but that first conference title ultimately eluded them.
“On the pitch, he helped us and motivated us when we were down in a lot of games, not just with scoring,” Lathrop coach Alfredo Reynaga said. “It’s his will to keep fighting, that’s unteachable. That’s just playing with heart, and he had a lot of that in a lot of our games. It’s good to have something like that in the program. He has set the standard high for everyone.”
Mora finished with 15 goals and 10 assists overall for the season. He will leave Lathrop as its all-time leading scorer with 59 goals and 20 assists for 138 points. The fourth-year varsity standout made four all-conference teams and is now a two-time MVP. Mora previously won it his freshman year when the WAC split into two divisions because of the pandemic. He was named MVP for the North.
“Since he started from year 1, he’s been a very impactful player on the team and not just in games, but how he conducts himself in practice,” Reynaga said. “He always gives 100 percent. He’s disciplined as a player and disciplined as a student. He has averaged a 3.5 (grade point average) throughout his four years. Overall, he’s a natural leader who is going to be very difficult to replace.”
Enrique Murillo of Ceres was named Offensive Player of the Year.
Also a standout in volleyball and track, Ward led Lathrop’s girls soccer team with eight goals and two assists against league opponents. She received a top award after getting on the second team her junior year.
Senior midfielder/defender Brianna Bedolla (two assists) made the All-WAC first team for a third straight year. She is joined by fellow seniors Mya Grisham and Jasmine Ponce.
Senior forward Morgan Penko (four goals, assist) and junior midfielder Alanna Lewis (goal, four assists) were selected to the second team.
Jayden Reynolds of conference champion Mountain House is the girls MVP.
