6 Days Until the State Girls Soccer Announcement
Gatorade 2025 - 2026: Player of the Year

Boys Soccer - California

Gatorade Player of the year

James Obleda

Midfielder
MATER DEI HS
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA
SENIOR
Height: 5-FOOT-9
Press Release

Peak Performance

12

Goals

12

Assists
“James is a great player and a big reason for the Monarchs’ success this year. His greatest contributions were as a leader, doing all of the intangibles and making sure his team was always on the same page.”
Al Brown
Head Coach - Mira Costa High

Athletic Excellence

The 5-foot-9, 150-pound senior midfielder led the Monarchs to a 21-1-3 record and both the Southern Section Open Division and Division 1 state tournament championship this past season. Obleda scored 12 goals and passed for 14 assists, setting up a score in Mater Dei’s 2-1 win over Everett Alvarez High in the state final. The Orange County Register Player of the Year, he was also the Southern Section Open Division and Trinity League Player of the Year.

Academic Achievement

Obleda has maintained a weighted 3.90 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a written letter of athletic aid to play soccer at California State University, Dominguez Hills, where his father is an assistant coach, this fall.

Exemplary Character

The 2025-26 Anthony Barajas Foundation Scholarship for Acts of Kindness recipient, Obleda has volunteered locally as a camp counselor at RAD (Rise Above Disabilities). A member of the Mater Dei honors choir, he has donated his time as a Second Harvest Food Bank site coordinator as well as a special education class student aide.