Nevada Preps Boys Athlete of the Week: Palo Verde’s Matthew Vogel

Palo Verde suffered a major loss when last season’s Gatorade State Player of the Year, Yuval Cohen, decided to leave so he could play more high-level soccer.

That loss, however, didn’t mean the Class 5A defending state champion Panthers were devoid of talent.

Senior Matthew Vogel showed just what kind of ability Palo Verde still has on its roster when he produced two goals and three assists in an 8-0 victory over Spring Valley last week, earning the Nevada Preps Boys Athlete of the Week award.

This wasn’t the first time Vogel came up big for the Panthers. He also scored 10 minutes into the 5A title game last season to give Palo Verde a lead it wouldn’t lose in a 3-0 victory over Hug from Reno. That championship has put a target on Palo Verde this season, even without the 40-goal scorer in Cohen.

“We have to play every game like it’s a championship and win and don’t take any games for granted,” Vogel said.

As a winger, Vogel likes being able to do whatever it takes to help the Panthers win, be it providing a key pass or finishing himself at the goal. He leads Palo Verde with 18 points, evenly dividing the scoring with six goals and six assists.

“I’m a very attack-minded player,” Vogel said. “It means I can score, I can assist, I can create plays. I wouldn’t say I have a certain strength.

“I feel like I have many attributes that I can use in multiple ways.”

He said he was uncertain what college he will attend, but Cal State Bakersfield and Denver are the front-runners.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.