BOYS SOCCER: VAZQUEZ'S PLAY IS STRIKING HIGHLAND SOPHOMORE BIG THREAT.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Chris Vazquez was an unknown quantity in the region's high school soccer community when the season began. Now, everybody knows him.

Vazquez, Highland High's sophomore striker, has been hard to miss. He's emerged as one of the area's most dangerous scoring threats, getting 16 goals in 18 games.

He'll look to add to that total in the coming weeks. The Bulldogs (12-5-2) are coming off a second-place finish in the Golden League, and start postseason play at Arcadia on Friday in the first round of the Division I Southern Section tournament.

His success as a striker is even more remarkable considering he has played defense in his club soccer career. And even more impressive is his ability to score in meaningful situations.

Vazquez scored the game-winner Feb. 6 on a direct kick in a 3-2 victory over Lancaster that clinched second place for Highland. He scored two goals in a 3-2 nonleague upset of Hart in his high school soccer debut in early December and he had two goals in a 4-3 loss to league champion Quartz Hill last month.

``Chris Vazquez seems to come up big for us in the big games, he seems to get the important goals,'' Highland coach Danny Young said. ``He's very fast and very quick and he hustles the whole game; he never seems to get tired. He gets goals by just hustling and hustling.''

When Vazquez joined the team, Highland had had a backlog of defenders, so Young moved him to striker. Young admits even he's surprised by how quickly Vazquez has developed.

``He has a nose for the goal and an ability to finish, which was something we lacked earlier in the season,'' Young said.

Vazquez said the hardest part of his new job is making sure he's never out of position. He credits the team's upperclassmen, especially senior midfielder Chris Ortiz and junior midfielder Sean Franklin with patiently explaining to him where he needs to be and what he needs to do.

``I pretty much just look up to the older guys because they have more experience,'' Vazquez said. ``They can tell you what you need to do and what you don't need to do.''

A Littlerock transfer, Vazquez was academically ineligible last season. He's played club soccer since he was 10, most recently with the Antelope Valley-based Sharks. Although he wasn't fazed by the pressure of playing such a big role as a sophomore, he admits even he's a bit surprised by his success.

``I'm just trying to play as good as everyone else and make it seem like I'm not a sophomore,'' Vazquez said.

He's looked anything but, said Young, who projects Vazquez to be a future All-Southern Selection and potential Division I scholarship player.

Vazquez credits former Sharks coach Jose Ruiz with teaching him to focus and never stop hustling.

Those lessons seem to be paying off. A dynamo on the field, Vazquez's hustle has impressed his teammates as much as his talent.

``He just puts pressure on the other teams and he never stops,'' Ortiz said. ``He's always working hard and he picks up the other kids.''

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Highland striker Chris Vazquez, only a sophomore, has scored 16 goals in 18 games this season.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer