The reigning San Diego Section Player of the Year and current Michigan State soccer commit has taken her game to another as she attempts to lead the Knights to a second straight Open Division title…
Only once since 1996 has a player repeated as the CIF San Diego Section girls soccer player of the year. San Marcos High School senior Josie Willis may be adding her name to that exclusive list at the end of this season.
The reigning San Diego Section Player of the Year and current Michigan State soccer commit has taken her game to another level as she attempts to lead the Knights to a second straight Open Division title. “Coming into the year, as a team we set four goals: Win league, win the Ogden Cup , win Open Division and win state,” Willis said. “Last year, we were able to check three of those boxes. Hopefully, this year, we can check all four.” The Knights beat Cathedral Catholic, Westview and Bonita Vista en route to last year’s Open Division championship. In the Southern California Regional Division 1 playoffs, San Marcos, seeded No. 4, beat No. 5 Harvard-Westlake in the quarterfinals before losing 2-1 to top-seeded Santa Margarita in the semifinals.And now Willis is poised to join Coronado High School’s Cassie Callahan as players to win back-to-back section honors. Like many talented young athletes, Willis grew up playing several sports. But soccer spoke to her most, noting the camaraderie and heightened sense of teamwork as key factors that drew her to the sport.“We ended up winning that tournament against a really competitive team, and I just remember that being the first time where I felt like I really pushed myself,” she said. After experiencing continued youth-level success with the San Diego Surf, Willis arrived as a freshman at San Marcos in 2022. From the moment Willis stepped on the pitch, Knights coach Alex Ramirez knew she was going to be different.“It was pretty obvious she was going to be a special player,” said Ramirez.She was summoned to the varsity that December for a tournament. Playing five games over the course of three days, Willis logged three goals and two assists. ”After the tournament, I remember walking over to her and her parents and telling her to hold onto thatvarsity bag for the foreseeable future,” Ramirez said with a laugh. Said Willis: “Those minutes gave me a lot of confidence. To see I could get around older girls and beat them was huge.”She finished her freshman season with eight goals and two assists. As a sophomore starter, she had a breakout season, logging 14 goals and four assists, establishing herself as one of San Diego County’s top goal scorers. “I enjoy the competition you get as a striker, going up against big defenders who may be stronger than me or know how I play,” said Willis. “There isn’t a better feeling than being able to beat someone down the line, take that final shot, and have my teammates celebrate with me.” As a junior, Willis helped San Marcos make history. In 23 games, she logged 18 goals and eight assists. Her play helped lead San Marcos to its first-ever Open Division title; she was named both Palomar League and CIF San Diego Section Player of the Year. Through 14 matches this season, Willis has scored 12 goals with four assists, keeping 8-3-3 San Marcos in contention for the Palomar League title with Del Norte and Mt. Carmel. “Josie’s biggest plus might be how smart a player she is,” Ramirez said, “She understands the game at a tactical coaching level.”She signed with Michigan State, a team that made it to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight last season. ”I was really interested in what Coach Hosler had to say about how he sees me playing on their team,” Willis said. “The whole coaching staff there is really motivating and pushes you to be your best. They grow a special bond with their athletes that really drew me in.” Willis knows it will be a long distance for her family to travel to East Lansing, Mich. For now, she’s relishing the end of her high school career and looking forward to playing at the next level. ”If we’re able to go and get another Open Division title, it’d be amazing,” she said. “Over these final weeks, I want to soak in these moments with my teammates and enjoy playing these games in front of all the people we know and love, and show just how talented of a team we are.”Officials believe San Diego is well positioned as cities compete for dwindling state homeless dollars At 82, retired teacher and former marathon runner has discovered his next chapter doesn’t require a busy social calendar At 82, retired teacher and former marathon runner has discovered his next chapter doesn’t require a busy social calendarFree rent, few takers: Despite incentives, labs aren’t taking space in San Diego Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner launches 13th roundtrip between San Diego and Los Angeles, with plans to expand still morePadres’ 2026 promotional schedule includes bobbleheads, moreAnti-sex trafficking operation nets 105 arrests in San Diego targeting would-be buyers
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