At six-feet-plus, Bonita Vista High School senior D.J. Provencher towers over most of this high school soccer rivals.
He made good use of his height to score 20 goals and 11 assists this past season for the Barons, and looks to continue to dominate opponents in college.
Provencher received a scholarship to attend — and continue playing soccer — at Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota, an NAIA school competing in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
He will be joining his sister Torrye, who completed her second season with the Lancers as a sophomore in the fall. Shae Provencher joined younger sister Torrye at Mount Marty as a senior in the fall.
D.J. followed both soccer-playing sisters at BVHS.
“It was a family thing,” he said.
Indeed, it is.
D.J. began playing soccer at 4. “I’ve been playing soccer my whole life,” he said.
He began playing at the AYSO level, then joined the Rebels Soccer Club at 7. He’s played club soccer through 18U, including at the international level.
He participated in last summer’s Balboa Cup, scoring a pair of goals for the San Diego high school team in a 4-4 tie against a high school team from Tijuana in the annual Sister City All-Star Soccer Tournament.
“With my size, I’m able to hold the ball, so my teammates can push up more,” he said. “I’m physical. I can get up in the air and win a lot of headers. My teammates can play off me.”
He’s hoping to continue that style of play in college.
BVHS head coach Jason Murphy saw a lot of similarities between himself and Provencher while competing for the Barons and winning a Class 3A San Diego Section championship in 1989.
“He played relentlessly with a never-ending motor,” the BVHS coach said. “He was somehow able to flip a switch because on the field he played tough all 80 minutes and off the field, he’s one of the nicest kids I’ve been around. He’s well-liked and respected by our team. He was our team MVP.”
“I’ve built a relationship with all my teammates,” Provencher said. “They are my second family.”
Soccer isn’t the only sport the younger Provencher is proficient at.
He played two years of youth hockey at the Kroc Center, starting in the seventh grade. Last season he played high school hockey for the La Jolla Country Day composite team in the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League.
“Hockey is a great cross-training sport,” Provencher said. “It helped me to be physical and conditioned. There were a couple teams where the boys were bigger and more physical. It made me work harder to keep up with them.”
Players on opposing teams have had to work hard to keep up with Provencher on the soccer pitch.
Bonita Vista finished 13-8-3 overall during the just completed 2019-20 season, 5-6-1 in Mesa League play.
The Barons were edged out for the final Division II playoff berth in a disappointing ending to the season.
Provencher was in the thick of the competition throughout his high school career.
He won a South Bay League championship with the Barons as a sophomore; the Barons finished runner-up to Eastlake in Mesa League play last season.
However, Bonita Vista lost its first playoff game both seasons.
Mount Marty is getting an all-around first-class individual.
“I want to contribute any way I can to help the team,” he said.
BOYS SOCCER ALL-LEAGUE TEAMS
Mesa League
First Team
Luis Lopez (Southwest)
Gerardo Estrada (Southwest)
Alan Villa (Southwest)
Ruben Aguiniga (Montgomery)
Luis Diaz (Montgomery)
David Provencher (Bonita Vista)
Ivan Garduno (Castle Park)
Roberto Parra (Castle Park)
Joshua Talamantes (San Ysidro)
Eric Allen (Eastlake)
Alan Mascareno (Otay Ranch)
Second Team
Jessie Reyes (Southwest)
Samuel Zamora (Southwest)
Ruben Serrano (Southwest)
Angel Acosta (Montgomery)
Henoc Samba (Montgomery)
Isaac Escamilla (Bonita Vista)
Victor Damian Jr. (Castle Park)
Esteban Zertuche (Castle Park)
Rafael Martinez Reynoso (San Ysidro)
Braiz Ramirez (Eastlake)
Arath Hermiz (Otay Ranch)
Player of the Year
Ivan Garduno (Castle Park)
Championship Team
Southwest High School
South Bay League
First Team
Gael Ruiz (Hilltop)
Ruben Coss (Hilltop)
Marcos Calderon (Hilltop)
Justin Carreon (Mater Dei Catholic)
Miguel Mendoza (Mater Dei Catholic)
Osvaldo Garcia (Sweetwater)
Samuel Madrigal (Sweetwater)
David Kay (Olympian)
Johan Kim (Olympian)
Elijah Willadsen (Chula Vista)
Juan Pablo (Mar Vista)
Second Team
Fabian Rivera (Hilltop)
Pablo Farias (Hilltop)
Roberto Perez (Hilltop)
Ivan Chavez (Mater Dei Catholic)
Rodrigo Barrera (Mater Dei Catholic)
Alejandro Perez Gonzalez (Sweetwater)
Roberto Ramirez (Sweetwater)
Armando Valencia (Olympian)
Kai Konkoly (Olympian)
Austin Orozco (Chula Vista)
Julian Macias (Mar Vista)
Players of the Year
Justin Carreon (Mater Dei Catholic), left, and Gael Ruiz (Hilltop)
Championship Team
Hilltop High School
GIRLS SOCCER ALL-LEAGUE TEAMS
Mesa League
First Team
Daniela Chavira (Eastlake)
Olivia Sekimoto (Eastlake)
Taylor Summit (Eastlake)
Alejandra Jaramillo (Bonita Vista)
Alyza Eckhardt (Bonita Vista)
Emma Gaines-Ramos (Otay Ranch)
Sophia Astorga (Otay Ranch)
Ashante Gatlin (Chula Vista)
Natalia Mendez (Montgomery)
Bianca Aikens (Olympian)
Giselle Medina (Mar Vista)
Second Team
Natalie Borba (Eastlake)
Brooklyn Daley (Eastlake)
Ashley Escamilla (Bonita Vista)
Vanessa Ramirez (Bonita Vista)
Alyssa Rivera (Otay Ranch)
Ashley Gomez (Otay Ranch)
Carolina Castro (Chula Vista)
Mayte Garcia (Montgomery)
Maya Galvan (Olympian)
Kaley Lopez (Olympian)
Briana Ayala (Mar Vista)
Player of the Year
Olivia Sekimoto (Eastlake)
Championship Team
Eastlake High School
South Bay League
First Team
Jordan Norman (Mater Dei Catholic)
Rachel Penick (Mater Dei Catholic)
Raelyn Arredondo (Mater Dei Catholic)
Andrea Rivera (Southwest)
Gigi Alaniz (Southwest)
Rachel Cayeros (Southwest)
Isella Olivera (San Ysidro)
Arianna Bergado (Hilltop)
Daviana Garcia (Hilltop)
Aaliya Montano (Sweetwater)
Alayla Navarro (Castle Park)
Second Team
Veronica Grace Molina (Mater Dei Catholic)
Jasmine Navarro (Mater Dei Catholic)
Alessandra Zavala (San Ysidro)
Melina Hernandez (San Ysidro)
Kassandra Ramirez (Hilltop)
Nina Ballesteros (Hilltop)
Jocelyn Becerra (Southwest)
Vanessa Holguin (Southwest)
Surya Mecino (Sweetwater)
Elsa Sarabia (Sweetwater)
Maday Pablos (Castle Park)
Player of the Year
Rachel Penick (Mater Dei Catholic)
Championship Team
Mater Dei Catholic High School
