Two seasons. That’s all it took for 38-year-old Archie Ochoa to lead the Mendota High girls soccer team to a Central Section Division VI championship. It was the first section title in any sport for the school, which opened in 1992.

Because of his accomplishment, Ochoa is The Fresno Bee’s Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.

“I’m just elated to have created history and given this small DVI school its first-ever championship title,” said Ochoa, who works at Toma-Tek Inc. in Firebaugh.

Ochoa guided Mendota into double-digit wins last season at 15-12-3 overall and 5-2-1 for second in the West Sierra League. Mendota was seeded eighth and hosted its first-ever playoff game, losing on penalty kicks to No. 9 Fresno Christian in the opening round.

This season, the Aztecs shared the WSL title with Avenal at 6-1-1 and went 18-6-4 overall. Mendota, seeded third in the playoffs, beat No. 2 Farmersville 5-3 in the semifinals then topped No. 4 Avenal 1-0 in the final.

“For him to turn around a program in his second year and win a Valley title is very impressive,” said Tranquillity coach Craig Hansen, whose Tigers lost twice to Mendota in league. “It says a lot about him as a coach and the way his girls went out and played.

“He’s been really good with the kids. He’s really into the game and he gets the most out of his kids. They really respond to him.”

Ochoa, who grew up in Kerman, began coaching in 1996 when he registered his children, Alexis and Adam, for recreational soccer and volunteered to help coach their team. He hasn’t stopped since.

“Each year I registered them I agreed to coach their team. Although the age limit [for players] is 12 I still continued to coach \[after they stopped playing\] because I enjoy the passion of the game,” he said.

Ochoa said he has found great rewards in coaching at Mendota.

“The team’s success comes from within — the girls’ dedication and determination to play out their hearts,” he said. “I’ve told them the only way we will lose to this team is if they have a number of speedsters. But if it comes out to guts, glory and heart, then it’s our game.”

He tries to use soccer to teach life lessons.

“There are so many followers and not enough leaders,” he said. “If I can get one, two, even three people to understand the concept and apply it to their daily lives both on and off the field, then I feel I have succeeded. Helping them make better judgmental decisions is the key.”