By Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Girls player of the year: M Jenny Karl, Sr., River Ridge
Why we picked her: Anytime Karl crossed midfield with the ball, opposing goalkeepers would start biting their fingernails. No other player on the North Suncoast terrorized defenses quite like Karl. Whether it was streaking past defenders to slot a shot into goal or a long-distance laser that left goalkeepers' knees buckled, Karl was unquestionably the area's best at scoring goals. A tireless worker who chased every ball and never came off the field, Karl led River Ridge to a spot in the postseason and a third straight trip to the region semifinals.
Most impressive accomplishment: Karl led the area in scoring from the beginning of the year to the season's close. She finished with 44 goals and added 18 assists for 106 total points.
Did you know? Karl said that when she's out on the soccer field, it's her time to escape the pressures that go along with being a teenager. "It's like my getaway," she said. "I just love to do it." … Karl used to be a standout softball player but picked soccer, partly because of the sport's constant motion. "I like to move around all the time," she said. "I'm little, and I just like to get in everyone's way and do my thing. I like to be involved and try to take control."
Future plans: Karl signed a letter of intent with the University of Tampa and is hoping to see significant minutes during her freshman year with the Spartans. To better prepare herself for the jump in talent she'll see at the collegiate level, Karl continues to train with her club team, Hillsborough County United. She plans to major in criminal justice.
Girls
First team
F Arielle Anahory, Sr., Mitchell. Eckerd signee was fourth-leading scorer in school history with 58 goals and 20 assists in her career.
F Anezha "A.J." Blount, So., Wiregrass Ranch. Second in the area with 40 goals; none were bigger, however, than the two she scored in the region semifinals.
F Chelsea Foster, Sr., Gulf. The Buccaneers' leading scorer with 17 goals was a threat to find the net every time she touched the ball.
M Alyson Brady, Sr., Springstead. Future Western Michigan player led Eagles to district title and school's first region semifinal appearance.
M Anne Cypriano, So., Wiregrass Ranch. Controlled the middle of the field for the region finalist Bulls and recorded 10 goals and 11 assists.
M Hannah Foster, Jr., Gulf. The general in Gulf's potent attack scored 15 goals and had six assists.
M Sarah Olin, So., River Ridge. Smart distributor who could score from a distance had 12 goals and assisted on 16 others.
D Auburn Cherry, Sr., Mitchell. Tenacious, consistent defender will play for Florida Southern next year.
D Nicole Misener, Sr., Mitchell. Impact player who could score goals as well as she could prevent them.
D Carly Patton, Jr., Zephyrhills. Hard-nosed enforcer highlighted a Bulldogs defense that allowed few goals.
D Dani Schulman, Sr., Gulf. The Buccaneers' first Division I signee is headed for Florida Gulf Coast in the fall.
GK Lisa Jadick, Jr., River Ridge. Her performance in a region quarterfinal penalty shootout win over Mitchell was legendary.
Second team
F Kayla Labbe, Sr., Ridgewood
F Taylor Maramara, Sr., Bishop McLaughlin
F Berlin Waters, So., Wiregrass Ranch
M Danielle Gottwick, Fr., Mitchell
M Jessica Montelongo, Sr., Pasco
M Alicia Schulman, Jr., Gulf
M Ashley Walker, Sr., Springstead
D Kaitlyn Duke, Sr., Springstead
D Alyssa Lonsway, Jr., Land O'Lakes
D Cassidy Place, Fr., Sunlake
D Brianna Rossi, Fr., Gulf
GK Dayton Wetherby, So., Wiregrass Ranch
Honorable mention
Anclote: Kailin Torres; Bishop McLaughlin: Corrie Bexley, Emily Hernandez, Katie Kyle, Spencer Valdespino; Central: Samantha Berberette, Karissa DiMuccio, Alyx McKinney; Fivay: Sarah Bernstein; Gulf: Haley Foster, Melissa Morlan; Hernando: Megan Platt, Hailey Royal, Ashley Sims; Hudson: Logan McGee, Becky Reynolds, Sarah Staley, Erica Wills; Land O'Lakes: Tara Marshall, Brittany Nieves, Keke Potts, Kayla Robinson, Brooke Silvest; Mitchell: Natalie Banks, Shannon Estes-Larkin, Balea Schumacher; Nature Coast: Briana Baugher, Paige Kuhn, Arianna Medina, Emily Myers, Mallorie Pickersgill; Pasco: Melissa Fletcher, Hannah Hollander; Ridgewood: Amanda Desroberts; River Ridge: Laura Cason, Corinne Pieterse, Andrea Simon, Jessica Tata; Springstead: Kimberly Smith, Tara Vasquez; Sunlake: Emily Higgins, Carly Hill; Wesley Chapel: Kelsey Bare; Wiregrass Ranch: Sierra Monday, Nicole Esposito, Lauren Gordon, Grace Olsen, Christina Wojaczyk; Zephyrhills: Sarah Denney, Alex Fern, Rachel Osborne.
Coach of the year
Erin Dodd, Wiregrass Ranch: Dodd took a group of talented underclassmen and, by the end of the season, molded them into the area's most dangerous side. Under Dodd, the Bulls won their only district title, made the postseason for the first time and advanced to the Class 4A region final.
Boys player of the year: F Jordan Landry, Sr., Sunlake
Why we picked him: If there was one player on the North Suncoast who could consistently put the ball in the net, it was Landry, a senior sharpshooter with great touch and a deadly finish. Landry scored 52 goals in 31 contests. The offensive game plan for Sunlake was simple: continuously funnel balls up to its talented forward and watch Landry work his magic. With Landry scoring in bunches, Sunlake, a four-year-old program, recorded its first playoff wins in school history and came a penalty-kick shootout away from advancing to the state final four.
Most impressive accomplishment: Landry joined elite company when he scored the 100th goal of his high school career against Ridgewood on Jan. 6. He finished with 119 goals, which is a Sunlake record that is likely to stand for quite some time.
Did you know? Midway through the season, Landry found a pair of pink gloves in his closet and decided to wear them during games. Opposing players were not amused. "I had a bunch of names called at me, but then I realized that it started to get other players frustrated when they would get scored on by a guy wearing pink gloves," he said. "It was kind of a little mind game that I liked to play with the other team."
Future plans: Landry has yet to sign to play in college, but he has a tryout scheduled at Rollins College in Winter Park during spring break and another with Flagler College in St. Augustine in the near future. Wherever he ends up, Landry would like to study business. That and continue scoring goals.
Boys
First team
F Andrew Garcia, Jr., Land O'Lakes. The Gators' dynamic playmaker had 25 goals and 11 assists this season.
F Eric Garcia, Sr., Pasco. Lightning-quick forward scored 24 goals and had 12 assists for the region semifinalist Pirates.
F Andres Pinzon, Jr., Hernando. Toiled in anonymity on a sub-.500 team but scored 19 goals and assisted on 11 others.
M Andres Caesar, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch. Relentless worker in the middle of the Bulls' attack could set up goals as well as score them.
M Daniel Cano, Sr., Pasco. Technically gifted player with the ball at his feet registered 10 goals and nine assists.
M Jake Frahm, Jr., Land O'Lakes. All-around talent led his team in assists, scored nine goals and kept most opponents from reaching the Gators' back line.
M Omar Odulaja, Sr., Central. Paced Hernando County with 20 goals and led Bears to district title.
D Gerry DeCristofaro, Sr., Springstead. Tenacious defender who assisted on 13 goals and helped Eagles reach the playoffs for first time since 2007.
D Zachary Higgins, Sr., Land O'Lakes. Converted midfielder who unselfishly moved to the back to turn a shaky Gators back line into one of the area's best.
D Shane Jones, Sr., Hudson. The main cog in a surprising stretch run that saw the Cobras beat Mitchell, Wesley Chapel and Pasco to win a district title.
D Nathan Tellez, Sr., Pasco. The best defender on a Pirates defense that gave up only 17 goals all season.
GK Kody Parker, Sr., Land O'Lakes. Nearly broke a school record with 15 shutouts and allowed only 12 goals all season.
Second team
F Joshua Davis, Jr., Land O'Lakes
F Wayne Ewing, Sr., Hudson
F David Vitola, Sr., Central
M Matthew Campbell, Jr., Springstead
M Connor Gilboy, So., Sunlake
M Miguel Laliberte, Jr., Land O'Lakes
M Jonathan Thompson, Sr., River Ridge
D Alex Hernandez, Fr., Mitchell
D Bryan Huynh, Jr., Wesley Chapel
D Steven Mazza, Jr., Pasco
D Alex Piruzza, Jr., Sunlake
GK David Danahy, Sr., Sunlake
Honorable mention
Academy at the Lakes: Alex Burnham, Jason Pitcarin; Anclote: Harry Laureano; Bishop McLaughlin: Caelin Campbell, Matt Gulau, Christian Nummy, Tiger Williams; Central: Anthony Kaspars, Kevin Ramirez, Christian Velasquez, James Wert; Fivay: James Bors, Alex Mancini; Gulf: Petar Andjelic, Travis Jehs, Chris Osterer, Kevin Thompson; Hernando: John Dahmer, Cody Gillis; Hudson: Kyle Grzyb, Jonathon Mendez, Jeff Wills; Land O'Lakes: Nathan Dalton, Justin Lyles, Jake Morken, Frankie Pinciotti; Mitchell: Brian Hoxie, Cody Millian, Brendan Ross; Nature Coast: Tyler Callaghan, Eric MacLean; Pasco: Orlando Alcocer, Daniel Corona, Dillon Dunbar, Jose Flores, Angel Garcia; Ridgewood: Devon Graziano, Joshua Gray, Travis Lord, Sergio Velasquez; River Ridge: Alberto Ancona, Brad Lach, Tyler Lovelle; Springstead: Matthew Campbell, Cody Emmerman, Joey LaSala, Nathan Leathers, Richard Toth; Sunlake: Jared Landry, Ryan Norberg, Calvin Restrepo; Wesley Chapel: Max Caceres; Wiregrass Ranch: Jordan Clements, Rokas Daugala, Sam Eder; Zephyrhills: Gunnar Chauncey.
Coach of the year
Sam Koleduk, Sunlake: The Seahawks were an afterthought early in the year but continually picked up steam until, by the postseason, they were playing the best soccer of any team on the North Suncoast. With Koleduk at the helm, Sunlake earned its first playoff appearance in school history before knocking off Hudson and Pasco to reach the Class 4A region final, where it lost in a penalty-kick shootout.