No better finisher in the state than Bee Soccer Player of the Year Manuleleua

Beads of sweat frame a furrowed brow. Frustration and dogged determination fill her eyes. An insatiable thirst for more – more shots, more crosses, more goals – fuels her every step as she stalks the goal.

Leah Manuleleua suffers from a classic case of Strikers Syndrome.

No matter how many crucial and breathtaking finishes she may have in a game or a season, the recent Manteca High School graduate is haunted by the misses.

“It was my goal to come back this season and top my goals from last year,” said Manuleleua, who found the back of the net 38 times as a junior. “I knew I had so much more to prove. I didn’t capitalize on all the opportunities that I should have. Those misses helped me realize I could score even more.”

The Bee’s All-District Girls Soccer Player of the Year did just that. With remarkable efficiency, too.

Manuleleua led the state in scoring with 45 goals, despite missing nearly five games with injury. She also had 10 assists for the Buffaloes, who captured their first Sac-Joaquin Section banner with a marathon victory over Rio Americano.

“I’ve been here 10 years and we’ve had some really good player come through the program,” Manteca coach Justin Coenenberg said. “I don’t think any have matched up to Leah thus far. Her goal-scoring records, you can’t say they’ll never be beat but it will take a pretty phenomenal player to beat them.”

Manteca reached the Division III final in 2014 and 2015, dropping heartbreaking games to Christian Brothers and East Union, respectively.

The Buffaloes finally broke through against Rio Americano on May 21 at Lincoln High School in Stockton, but their first section title wasn’t without edge-of-your-seat suspense.

Manteca won in a penalty-kick shootout after the game remained tied at 1-1 following 80 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods.

Manuleleua converted the second penalty kick in the shootout for the Buffaloes, ranked ninth in MaxPreps’ final state poll.

“We knew we could get there again. We knew what it would take and we didn’t lose much (from 2015),” Manuleleua said of the team’s experience and depth. “We all had the same goal. We all wanted to win league and wanted to win sections.

“We pushed each other at practice and there was never drama on this team. When you play with your friends and you get along on and off the field, it helps with success.”

In an area rich with talent – the Stanislaus District features nine of the top-25 goal scorers in California – Manuleleua defines success at the striker position. She is the two-time Valley Oak League MVP and the program’s all-time leading scorer with 115 goals.

“Coming in as a freshman, we knew we had a good player,” Coenenberg said, “but we didn’t know we had this. She has worked year-round to get better, and this year, she took it to another level.”

One year after setting the program record for goals in a single season with 38, Manuleleua surpassed that total in just 24 matches, averaging nearly two goals per game.

“I depend on my physical nature to shield people off,” said Manuleleua, who will attend Delta College in the fall. “I’m not always faster than others, so I rely on my body and speed. When I can’t use that, I have to adjust to tactical aspects.”

In her final season, Manuleleua learned she could do more for the team by doing less. As more and more teams dedicated two and three defenders her way, Manuleleua used that attention to create opportunity – and space – for others.

The Buffaloes scored a state-high 114 goals, according to statistics entered on MaxPreps.com, en route to VOL and section titles. Manteca was 25-2-1 and won its final eight games by a combined score of 31-2.

“This game is all about adjustments,” Manuleleua said. “I’ve watched a lot of games with Coenenberg and my dad, and I know it’s not always about me scoring. It’s about creating opportunity for others so our team can be successful.”

Still, the thing about Strikers Syndrome is …

“If I’m not scoring,” she said, “I’m not doing my job.”

This story was originally published June 10, 2016 at 10:45 PM with the headline "No better finisher in the state than Bee Soccer Player of the Year Manuleleua."