For a team to have a successful season like Sedona Red Rock High School’s boys soccer team enjoyed, a number of good individual seasons are required. The Scorpions had that.

In total, 12 players received honors for their play during the year.

Brandon Arias, junior, defender

One of the biggest questions Sedona faced entering the season was the goalkeeper position. That was eventually stabilized thanks in no small part to a strong defensive line. Arias, one of the most experienced players on the team, was a big component of that.

While his primary job was as a defender, Arias also helped contribute to a vastly improved Scorpions offense, scoring three goals on the season.

Kevin Beltran, junior, midfielder

Beltran was one of Sedona’s best offensive players a season ago and every opponent knew it. The Scorpions gave Beltran a lot more help on offense this season, which kept him from being the sole focal point of opposing defenses. Beltran took advantage, scoring 13 goals and adding two assists

His 13 goals were two more than Sedona’s entire team scored last season.

Luis Beltran, freshman, forward

Beltran was on the field for 865 minutes, the second-highest total on the team. He made the most of his playing time.

Beltran was one of the key additions to the Scorpions team this year. His speed and ball handling made him a difficult matchup for opposing defenses. It showed in the stats, as Beltran led the team with 16 goals and added two assists.

Korbin Burke, sophomore, defender

Burke was one of two players on his team to participate in a pair of fall sports. He also ran cross country and qualified for state.

On the pitch, Burke’s speed and endurance made him an important piece of Sedona’s defense. Like Arias, he also found time to contribute to the Sedona offense, scoring a pair of goals.

Joan Diaz Rodriquez, freshman, goalkeeper

Diaz Rodriquez allowed 2.8 goals per game, a total that the Scorpions’ high powered offense topped in all but four contests. Playing behind five defenders who received some sort of recognition helped. But when Diaz Rodriquez was called upon to make a big save, he was usually up to the task. He made eight saves in a 1-1 draw against a strong Camp Verde team and averaged six saves per match.

When the season started, the goalkeeper position was something of a mystery for Sedona. But when the Scorpions are getting ready for next soccer season, things in the net will be much more certain.

Carlos Gonzalez, freshman, forward

Another valuable addition to the Sedona offense, Gonzalez finished the season with six goals, which was fourth on the team. He added an assist, as well.

One of the reasons that SRRHS coach Sam Blom and the more experienced Scorpions were optimistic heading into the season was they knew that a deep group of freshmen were incoming. Gonzalez, like so many of his classmates, did not disappoint.

Jaiah Grondin, senior, midfielder

Grondin split his time between soccer and swimming this fall. In the pool, he helped the Scorpions’ 200 freestyle relay team qualify for state. On the pitch, he scored 11 goals and notched a pair of assists. His overall play helped make Grondin the 2A Central Region co-player of the year, along with Chino Valley’s Angel Sanchez.

Grondin opted to play basketball in the winter during his junior year. One of the perks of moving soccer to the fall was it allowed him to play both sports. That obviously ended up being a huge jolt to the team.

Noah Horton, freshman, midfielder

Horton scored five goals on the season, which was tied for the fifth-best total on the team. His three assists, meanwhile, led the team.

One of the most positive takeaways for the Scorpions this season was not simply the performance, but how young most of the team was. Horton was one of six freshmen who will be an integral part of his team’s core for the next three seasons.

Max Metzger, sophomore, midfielder

Like Horton, Metzger scored five goals on the season. As a midfielder, he was also one of the strongest overall players in the section.

Metzger also grew into a leadership role throughout the course of the year. Looking ahead, he’ll be an integral part of the team for the next two seasons as it looks to make more noise in both the 2A Central Region and the 2A Conference.

Alberto Sanchez, junior, defender

Sanchez’s primary role on the Scorpions was in preventing goals. But when called upon, he also showed himself quite capable of scoring them. One such example came in the tie vs. Camp Verde, when Grondin deferred a free kick to Sanchez, feeling that the left-footed kicker had the better angle. He was right, as Sanchez delivered a strike to tie the game.

It wasn’t a one-time thing, either, as Sanchez used his strong left leg to find the back of the net five times on the year.

Reif Stevens, freshman, defender

Unlike his defensive counterparts, Stevens didn’t find himself involved in the scoring much, scoring only one goal on the season. Defenders, however, can only get heavily involved in the offense when they can trust whomever stays back to handle any of the rushes that come if things go awry.

That was a role that Stevens quite capably filled for the Scorpions.

Alejandro Villanueva, senior, defender

Villanueva scored two goals on the season. One came in his final home game, when Sedona handily defeated Rancho Solano Prep 10-3 on senior night.

Grondin and Villanueva were the only seniors that SRRHS had this season. Villanueva quite literally made the most of his final high school season. With 885 total minutes played, no Scorpion saw the field more.