McBean’s offensive surge has helped CdM (23-1-1), ranked No. 9 nationally by ESPN RISE, roll into tonight’s Division IV title game with La Mirada (23-0-4) at Mission Viejo High at 7.
“Jack has had a heck of a year and he keeps getting better day by day,” first-year CdM Coach George Larsen said. “He has done some pretty amazing things lately, scoring in all four playoff games. I don’t know if there is another freshman that has had that big of an impact on a team.”
Larsen, who has also coached McBean in the Newport Beach-based Slammers club program, said McBean’s on-field maturity transcends his status as a varsity newcomer.
“He’s a very, very smart player,” Larsen said of the 6-foot, 170-pounder, who is a member of the Southern California Olympic Development Program under-15 team and has been invited to join the youth national team. “Though he just turned 15, he understands the game more so than most kids out there. His dad [Scotty] did a great job of teaching him soccer when he was young. [Jack] watches tons of soccer on TV and he is a real student of the game. He knows things other players are not even aware of.”
Jack McBean said his father, born and raised in Scotland before coming to America at age 21, helped give him an appreciation for the game.
“He sort of started me off, watching games with him when I was younger,” said Jack McBean, who noted he began playing AYSO before he attended school. “He also played the game with me in the backyard. Just watching games made me smarter on the field.”
Among the subtleties that sets McBean apart, Larsen said, is his ability to seal off defenders to gain and maintain possession in the box.
