Antonio Soto Stays Humble After State Title, Hole-In-One

Clearwater-Orchard senior Antonio Soto had an action-packed 24 hours between winning a state championship in SkillsUSA firefighting a week ago Friday and recording a hole-in-one at the Osmond Invite the following Saturday.

On Friday, April 22, Antonio Soto was named champion in firefighting at the state SkillsUSA competition in Omaha, qualifying for nationals. 

“We had to do a personal interview with the fire chief from Omaha,” Soto said. “Then we went through an obstacle course where we were scored by how well we moved through the timed course.”

Soto, the son of Antonio Barciaand Rocio Soto, will compete in Louisville, Kentucky on June 20-24, for the 52nd annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC).

SkillsUSA a national organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations, including health occupations and for further education.
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Then on Saturday - the day after winning a state championship - Soto hit the hole-in-one on the 180 yard 8th hole of the Rolling Hills golf course. 

“It was really more of a luck thing than anything,” Soto said, humbly. 

OC golf coach Bill Tabbert said this is Soto’s second year golfing.

“He is the second of my golfers that scored a hole-in-one in a tournament in the 30-plus years I have coached golf,” Tabbert said. 
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Soto will graduate from Clearwater-Orchard in May and will attend Northeast Community College majoring in architectural drafting in the fall.