JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The memories are special for Emir Trto, and they almost always involve soccer and family.
The junior star forward at Mandarin soaked up that experience throughout life, challenging himself by trying to keep pace with his older brother, Omar.
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Consider Emir, the Varsity 4 All-News4JAX boys soccer player of the year, almost all caught up. He scored 22 goals and added 17 assists for the Mustangs, who were unbeaten all the way up until their final match.
Emir said that he had excellent role models, including former Mandarin stars Sasha Maric and Adis Mesic. But for the greatest influences in his life, Emir didn’t even have to look outside of his own household. He grew up working on the game with Omar, his mother, Amela, and his father, Irfan. The family moved to Jacksonville to escape the war in Bosnia, settling in here and making the area home.
Soccer was the sport that tied them together.
When his father would leave to go to school or work, it was time for the Trto brothers play. Often, that resulted in 1 v 1 with each other until there wasn’t enough light to see.
“That’s the best memory I ever had,” Trto said.
Those days and nights, often at Losco Park, helped set the foundation for what Trto to develop into the player that he became. Almost all the time, those memories involved his brother, who is a year and a half older. Emir said that Omar was so good when they were younger that he always played up in competition.
“He was playing with older boys. And me seeing him play older boys made me want to play harder and be as good as him,” Emir said.
As long as Emir was at Mandarin, he played alongside Omar. He missed his freshman season with a torn meniscus, but made his varsity debut with nine goals and six assists as a sophomore. They played together most of the 2025 season, but that changed halfway through when Omar graduated early and enrolled at UNF. That alone could have been enough to rattle both Emir and the Mustangs, who were barreling through an unbeaten regular season.
“They thought we were going to be bad because he’s leaving. He was our best player. They all thought that we were going to go down because he was also our captain,” Emir said. “And so, once Coach Cooley gave me the captain’s armband, I feel like I needed to tell the team, ‘let’s use this.’ Let’s use their talk and let’s show them why we’re the best.”
Trto was not only the emotional leader for Mandarin, he was a force on the field. While leading scorer Danny Moreno was a lightning quick forward who used his speed to gain angles and force shots, Trto (6-2, 195 pounds) was a physical player who could overpower defenders near the box and beat the keeper. He was a force on free kicks and headers, and excelled on second-chance efforts.
Trto did that in the state semifinals, cleaning up a Moreno ricochet off the keeper and blasting it in for the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Oviedo.
The Mustangs played 79 minutes and 30 seconds of tough defense in the championship game against Mitchell, but a penalty kick less than a minute led to the winning goal. Trto has thought long and hard about the last game of the season and said he will carry that in his pocket until next year.
The goal for 2026 was set that day as Mitchell players celebrated a title with the end of Mandarin’s perfect season. Trto isn’t shy about the finish line for his senior year.
“The final thing is revenge. That’s what’s been on all of our minds. It is revenge. We want that state title. That is what we’ve all been dreaming for. Freshman year and we got out first round. Then we made regional finals, then state finals,” Trto said. “So, last thing we got to check off is winning that state finals game. And that’s on all of our minds ever since we lost that.”
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX boys soccer team
Position, Player, School, Class, Notable
F Ryker Dailey, Fleming Island, So.
In the conversation as the area’s top underclassmen. Had 48 points (17 goals, 14 assists) and no shortage of big plays, including the game-winner against Chiles in the playoffs. Chosen for Olympic Development Program’s National Select team.
F Kyle Jackson, St. Joseph, Sr.
Four-year player for the Flashes, he was dominant in his final season. More than doubled point total (30 in 2024) in his senior year (61 points), including 29 goals as St. Joseph reached 1A state final and finished 20-8.
F Michael Russell, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Had 22 goals and three assists in 18 matches as one of the top scorers in St. Johns County as Bartram went 13-4-5 and reached the regional semis.
MF Robert Calazans, Mandarin, Jr.
Lightning quick mid had 23 goals and 12 assists for the area’s best team, more than doubling what he did his first two seasons (10 goals, 6 assists).
MF Eric Camero, Creekside, Sr.
Led an excellent Knights team in scoring, with 13 goals and five assists as Creekside went 15-3-3 and lost just once to a local team.
MF Raphael Eccher, Wolfson, Jr.
Wolfpack were one of the best stories of the season, going from seven wins in 2024 to a 19-win, regional finalist this year. He had 18 goals and 14 assists to power Wolfson.
MF David Garcia, Mandarin, Sr.
Another Mustangs player who was mentioned multiple times by area coaches. Had 12 assists, four goals and career-best 27 steals for 6A state runner-up.
MF/F Emir Trto, Mandarin, Jr.
All-News4JAX player of the year who was invaluable to the Mustangs. One of the biggest players on the field (6-2, 195 pounds), he had 22 goals, 17 assists as Mandarin went 19-1-2 and reached the Class 6A final. Had the only goal in state semifinal win over Oviedo.
D Matthew Van Hook, Fleming Island, Sr.
One of the area’s best neutralizers, only one player managed to beat him for a score this year. Two-year starter who helped lead Golden Eagles to district title. Scored two goals and had two assists.
D Tyler Ghazanfari, Nease, Sr.
Two-time All-News4JAX selection. Joined Panthers after lengthy football season and played both forward and in the back. Had 10 goals, four assists in 13 games. Added 174 steals/recoveries for playoff team.
D Matthew Steinkamp, Bartram Trail, Sr.
A defender and middle player who had six assists and five goals for the 13-4-5 Bears.
GK Drew Monti, Episcopal, Jr.
Coaches said he was hands down the area’s best in net. Had 10 shutouts for 15-3-4 Eagles.
Second team
Position, Player, School, Class, Notable
F Thomas Arndt, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
Leading scorer for Sharks team that went 13-4 and reached the Class 5A state playoffs.
F Daniel Moreno, Mandarin, Sr.
Second-team All-News4JAX selection last year, too. Led Mandarin in scoring (27 goals, 7 assists) as team reached Class 6A final. Scored 43 goals in two seasons.
F James O’Neal, Wolfson, Sr.
Wolfpack barged out from a 7-10-4 year to just one win away from the state semifinals in breakout season. Boosted his output from 11 goals to 23.
F Aaron Wiley, Keystone Heights, Sr.
Two-time All-News4JAX second team selection. Had 33 goals and 13 assists, capping a stellar career of high output (92 goals, 38 assists).
MF Aiden Au-Ferris, Beachside, Sr.
Had six goals and a couple assists as Barracudas went 14-4-2 and went to the second round of the state playoffs.
MF Nico Tafurt, Creekside, Jr.
Picked up multiple votes from area coaches, with one saying that Tafurt was one of top three mids around. Had eight assists and give goals for Creekside.
MF Mohammed Jaber, Sandalwood, Sr.
Led Saints to 10-5-1 season with 11 goals, eight assists.
MF Ethan Medlock, Fleming Island, Sr.
Had 15 goals and five assists and earned first-team All-Clay County honors as Golden Eagles went 15-2-6.
D Ian Alvarado, Clay, Jr.
First-team All-Clay County selection was top player on a tough Blue Devils defense as Clay went 14-3-1.
D Charlie DeVooght, Episcopal, Jr.
Had 11 assists and eight goals for the regional finalist Eagles, and big reason why Episcopal had 11 shutouts.
D Bennett Finocchio, Creekside, Sr.
Had one goal but a defensive stopper. One coach called his efforts on the defensive end “remarkable.”
GK Luxiah Beard, Mandarin, Jr.
Allowed just 10 goals all season and posted 11 shutouts for the area’s top team and Class 6A state runner-up.
Honorable mention
Position, Player, School, Class
MF/F Jean Abboud, Stanton, Jr.
MF Alex Altman, St. Joseph, Jr.
MF Rami Amiri, Flagler Palm Coast, Jr.
F Cody Bass, Columbia, Sr.
MF Brady Bless, Bartram Trail, Sr.
GK Ben Boege, St. Joseph, Sr.
MF Anthony Brunt, Keystone Heights, Sr.
GK Braiden Bucklew, Fleming Island, Sr.
GK Leonardo Bustamante, Wolfson, So.
F Keith Carregal, Menendez, Sr.
MF Dominic Cassanova, Bartram Trail, Sr.
MF Nick Churchill, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
GK Keegan Cornett, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
MF Jonathan Costa, Matanzas, Jr.
GK Hudson Drum, Bolles, Jr.
GK Clark England, Creekside, Sr.
MF Trey Forster, Fletcher, Jr.
D Anthony Garrido, Beachside, Jr.
MF Vaughn Granada, Wolfson, Sr.
MF Alex Guevarra, Fleming Island, Sr.
MF Alexander Hillyard, Episcopal, Sr.
MF Jacob Jakstis, Tocoi Creek, Jr.
F/MF Noah Jaramillo, Keystone Heights, Jr.
MF Josh Jenkins, Episcopal, Sr.
MF Daniel Jimenez, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
F Louvens Joassaint, Clay, Jr.
D Foster Keebaugh, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
D Aiden Kennedy, Nease, Sr.
GK Leo Kelly, Fletcher, So.
D Austin Kerns, Beachside, Jr.
D Carter Lowe, Bolles, Sr.
F Jack Moberly, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.
MF Salim Mohammadi, Sandalwood, Sr.
F Valentino Moore, St. Joseph, Sr.
D Jose Moreno, Mandarin, Sr.
MF Evan Mumford, Nease, Sr.
F Henry Neumann, Episcopal, Sr.
D Stefan Opacic, Sandalwood, Sr.
D Justin Orantes, Ridgeview, Jr.
MF Brayan Rodriguez, Fernandina Beach, Fr.
MF Noah Romyanond, Fletcher, Sr.
F Haddon Rowland, Baker County, Jr.
F/D Shawn Selfors, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
F Payton Smith, Baker County, Jr.
MF Santiago Suarez, Beachside, Jr.
F Gavin Tenga, Clay, So.
MF Danny Vizcarrondo, Fleming Island, Sr.
D Alex Weiss, Clay, Sr.
MF Luke Wilson, St. Joseph, Sr.
F Caleb Zeigler, Christ’s Church, Sr.
