There's nothing secretive about how Erica Shelton developed into a standout high school soccer player. The Stockdale senior is simply the embodiment of the adage regarding hard work paying off.

Proof of that can be measured in the 27 goals and seven assists Shelton tallied while leading the Mustangs to their third straight Central Section Division I championship game.

It's those accomplishments that make Shelton The Californian's All-Area Girls Soccer Player of the Year for a second consecutive year.

"Any time she has to go out and work with the ball, she does," Stockdale coach Janien McGowan said. "That's a tribute to her work ethic. She's constantly working on things. She's always out there with the ball and that makes a huge difference."

Shelton, a four-year varsity starter, finished her high school career with 79 goals and 51 assists. During that span the Mustangs were 82-16-14, including an 18-5-3 mark this past season.

"We had another successful season like Stockdale always has," Shelton said. "We just came up short again (in the section championship game) but hopefully Stockdale wins it next year even though I won't have a chance to try it again myself. At the beginning of the season we weren't near as good as we were at the end of the season. We worked all season long. So many people improved. We became a team and it was a lot of fun."

Shelton, one of three team captains, began honing her soccer skills at the age of four in AYSO. At seven she started playing club, something she does currently as a member of Real So Cal.

"I play year-round with really good competition," Shelton said,. "It keeps my level of play up. I just try to get better every practice, every game, and every tournament. I play basically every weekend somewhere out of town .... It all builds up and it keeps me in shape."

It also helped Shelton improve her vaunted goal-scoring ability and land a scholarship to UC Santa Barbara.

"I'm 18 now and my shot has become a lot more natural to me," Shelton said. "I'm getting stronger working out in the weight room. My shot's more powerful and more accurate now. That's why my goals have gone up from my freshman to senior year. I have more experience and more practice."

But Shelton was far from a one-dimensional player. Her ball control and passing ability led McGowan to use her as a center-midfielder instead of a forward this past season.