Bay School of San Francisco have conceded three goals in 12 games, and Arcata, Fort Bragg and Fortuna are the only other sides giving up fewer than one a game. Here are the ten meanest defenses in the division, and the keepers and back lines behind them.
1. Bay School of San Francisco
Bay School of San Francisco have conceded three goals in 12 games, one every four games, and kept nine clean sheets on the way to a 10-0-2 record. No one has scored twice against them in a single game. Only Arcata (1-1), San Francisco Waldorf (3-1) and Athenian (2-1) have found the net at all, and after the Arcata draw on August 29 they went five straight games without conceding.
What makes the number stand out is who they have done it against. Four of their games have come against other teams on this list, and they gave up two goals across all four: the 1-1 with Arcata, a 1-0 win at College Preparatory School, a 0-0 draw with The International School of San Francisco and a 2-1 win over Athenian. College Prep and The International School both score more than three goals a game, and neither scored against the Bay School.
Junior keeper Eli Levison, in his third season on varsity, has made 17 saves and has rarely been beaten. He has an experienced back line in front of him. Seniors Nate Won and Henry Guy are both in their third varsity seasons, and Nate Won plays almost every minute, as does junior Isaac Baristiran. The defenders chip in at the other end too. Baristiran and sophomore full back Liam Yee have three goals each, which matters on a team that has won four games by one or two goals.
2. Arcata
Arcata have given up 10 goals in 16 games and kept nine clean sheets, level with the Bay School for the most in the division. No one has scored more than twice against them. Their record against the rest of this list stands up with anyone's: eight games against top-ten defenses, four goals conceded and five clean sheets. They shut out Fort Bragg (2-0), Kelseyville (3-0), Athenian (4-0) and Fortuna (1-0), drew 0-0 at Del Norte, and took a point off the leaders in a 1-1 draw at Bay School of San Francisco.
They are also finishing strong. In their last five games they have conceded twice and kept three clean sheets, including a 5-0 win at Eureka, one of the three sides to beat them this season, and a 2-1 win over McKinleyville on October 3.
Sophomore Owen Ingram has been the first-choice keeper, with seven shutouts of his own and a penalty save. Seniors Andy Aguilar and Quinn McSorely have been the regulars in the middle of the back line, with junior Ethan Wolven at full back. It is a back line built on familiar faces, and it shows in how rarely Arcata are opened up.
3. Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg have conceded 12 goals in 16 games, and they have never let in more than two in a match. Only once all season, in a 2-0 loss at Arcata in the opening week, have they given up two. Every other game they have held opponents to one goal or none.
That consistency is what keeps them in games against the best sides in the north. All four of their defeats were tight: 2-0 at Arcata, 1-0 twice to McKinleyville and 1-0 at Willits. In six games against other top-ten defenses they conceded six goals, and they won 3-0 at Fortuna and drew 1-1 at Del Norte, two of the harder places to play in the division.
Fort Bragg have kept five clean sheets, and they have conceded three goals in their last five games. The 1-0 win over Mendocino on September 26 was the kind of result that comes down to the back line, and the 3-0 win at Fortuna is one of only two games all season in which Fortuna have been kept off the scoresheet at home.
4. Fortuna
Fortuna have conceded 13 goals in 14 games, but five of those came in the opening game, a 5-2 home loss to McKinleyville on August 21. Since then they have given up eight in 13, and they have eight clean sheets, including a 1-0 win at McKinleyville that reversed that opening result, a 5-0 win over Credo and two 3-0 wins over Del Norte.
The form line is the best part. Fortuna have kept four clean sheets in their last five games, and they have been hardest to beat on the road, where they have conceded once all season. Two of their other three defeats were by a single goal, 1-0 at Arcata and 1-0 to Eureka. Their heaviest defeat since the opener was a 3-0 home loss to Fort Bragg on September 12, and they have won all five games since.
5. Athenian
Athenian have conceded 12 goals in 12 games, exactly one a game, with six clean sheets. Four of those goals came in one game, a 4-0 home loss to Arcata in August. Leave that out and they have given up eight in 11.
Their best stretch came in September, when they went five straight games without conceding: 10-0 at California Crosspoint, 6-0 at Fremont Christian, 1-0 at Redwood Christian, 4-0 at Saint Joseph Notre Dame and 1-0 at home to Summit Tamalpais. Two of those were 1-0 wins, the kind of result that comes down to the back line holding firm. They then pushed the leaders all the way in a 2-1 defeat at Bay School of San Francisco and drew 1-1 with College Preparatory School on October 2.
6. McKinleyville
McKinleyville have conceded 17 goals in 16 games but kept seven clean sheets, and several of their best results were won at the back. They beat Fort Bragg 1-0 twice and Eureka 1-0, and won 2-0 at Kelseyville.
Their numbers were hurt by one bad night, a 4-1 loss at Gateway on September 16. Outside that game they have given up 13 in 15, and their other three defeats were all by a single goal. Against the other top-ten defenses they have conceded eight in eight, with three clean sheets. Their defense tends to hold up when games are close. The best example is Fort Bragg: McKinleyville beat them 1-0 twice, and Fort Bragg has the third-best defense on this list.
7. Del Norte
Del Norte have conceded 17 goals in 14 games, but they have been hard to break down against the best sides in the north. They are the only team to take points off Arcata twice, winning 2-1 there and drawing 0-0 at home, and they held Fort Bragg to a 1-1 draw. Both of their games with McKinleyville were decided by one goal.
Home is where they are hardest to beat. Del Norte have conceded four goals in six home games, and two 3-0 defeats at Fortuna account for six of the goals against them on the road. Their latest result, a 1-0 home win over South Fork on October 3, was another clean sheet in front of their own fans.
8. College Preparatory School
College Preparatory School have conceded nine goals in seven games against one of the toughest schedules in the division. They lost only 1-0 to Bay School of San Francisco, drew 1-1 at Athenian and went down 3-2 to The International School of San Francisco, so all three of their games against fellow top-ten defenses were decided by a goal or less.
Senior Aaryan Sabnani has been in goal behind a back line led by seniors Oliver Beamer and Nathan Acharya and junior Otis Leeds. Beamer, in his third varsity season, almost never comes off, and he and Acharya have an assist each from full back. With that much senior experience at the back, College Prep has the kind of defense that keeps them in the big games.
9. The International School of San Francisco
The International School of San Francisco have conceded 11 goals in eight games, and the best of their defending came in the biggest game: a 0-0 draw at Bay School of San Francisco on September 25, with junior Bradshaw Lambert in goal. It is the only game all season in which the leaders have not scored. They also won 3-2 at College Preparatory School and have won six of eight.
Lambert, who kept four shutouts last season, and senior Corwin Leong-wikkerink have shared the job. Senior Anikoh Arana, who plays as a sweeper, has been the fixture at the heart of the defense, alongside senior Wyatt Klugman. Out wide, senior full back Michael Ting has added to the attack, with three goals and two assists.
10. Kelseyville
Kelseyville round out the ten with 20 goals conceded in 14 games and four clean sheets, including a 1-0 win at Middletown, a 0-0 draw with Lower Lake and two shutouts of Upper Lake. Their toughest tests have come against Arcata, McKinleyville and Fort Bragg, and against everyone else they have conceded 12 goals in 11 games.
Sophomore Cesar Silva has been in goal for almost the whole season. He has made 38 saves and stopped seven of every 10 shots on target he has faced. In front of him is one of the most settled back lines in the division. Senior Gerardo Garcia anchors it, junior Jorge Gonzalez has three assists from defense, and junior Gavin Cunningham has scored. Freshman Inteus Lopez has already earned a regular place alongside them. With a sophomore in goal and a freshman at the back, this is a defense that should only get harder to beat.
How we ranked them: by goals conceded per game in every varsity result this fall, through October 3, for teams with at least six games played. Summit K2 have given up four goals in four games and will come into the picture once they have played more.