All-Area Soccer Second Team

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MATT CRUMB
Lincoln-Way E., senior, defender

Noteworthy: Crumb scored 4 goals and had 1 assist ... He earned all-conference and all-sectional honors two years in a row ... He played on the varsity level for the Griffins for four years ... "He was the glue in the middle of the field," Griffins coach Brian Papa said. "He kept things going for us. He was very good in the air. When he was winning balls, we were controlling the game."

MKE DIAZ-DELEON
Lockport, senior, defender

Noteworthy: Diaz-DeLeon scored 2 goals and had 1 assist, but offense was not his No. 1 forte. Rather, he was at the heart of the Porters' defense ... He earned all-conference honors after helping Lockport to a 15-4-1 record ... "Mike was solid for us in the back -- a big kid who could put a body on someone," Porters coach Dan Baumhardt said. "He has a great understanding of the game. He organized our players in the back. He was our leader -- the heart of our defense."

GIOVANNI DELIRA
Plainfield C., junior, goalkeeper

Noteworthy: Delira finished with a 1.05 goals-against average, 8 shutouts and 8 one-goal games ... He earned all-conference honors for his play in the net ... "Gio has been our most improved player over the course of the last two seasons," Wildcats coach Kevin Fitzgerald said. "Through hard work, he has developed his skills and goalkeeping technique. He is able to play the ball well with his feet, which allows our team to relieve pressure and change our point of attack."

TYLER GILL
Plainfield C., soph., midfielder

Noteworthy: Gill scored 6 goals and had 1 assist ... He earned all-conference honors while helping the Wildcats post a 13-6-2 record ... "Tyler is dangerous on set plays because of his height (6-2, 175) and can play anywhere on the field," Wildcats coach Kevin Fitzgerald said. "His skill is extremely good and his stats don't tell the whole story. He was asked to play a defensive role, often guarding the other team's top player."

CONOR HUGHES
Plainfield North, senior, defender

Noteworthy: Hughes was a three-year varsity captain and two-time team MVP ... He also was a two-time all-conference selection ... He earned all-sectional honors in 2007 ... He made a seamless move from center-mid to sweeper this season. He chipped in two assists ... "Conor was a very dangerous player all-around," Tigers coach Ty Dilger said. "He played sweeper but usually was the one who would start the offensive attack from the back. He is a very skilled and knowledgeable player. He sees the field well. He was the player the team looked to lead them."

DAN MARTINEZ
Joliet Twp., senior, defender

Noteworthy: Martinez took it upon himself to form the last line of defense for JT ... He was a sweeper in the truest sense of the word ... "He cleared balls before they ever got to Mike (Vertin)," Steelmen coach Eduardo Contreras said. "He saved Mike a lot of shots. Really, his play was a big part of the reason Mike's stats were so good. He took the younger guys under his wing and taught them what JT defense is all about. He led by example. We brought him up on set pieces -- corners and restarts -- and he scored four goals. He's so good in the air. He has a knack for getting the ball."

PAINGOR NGEBEH
Bolingbrook, senior, defender

Noteworthy: Ngebeh was the little guy -- 5-5 -- who played big for the Raiders on defense ... He was credited with 3 assists ... He earned honorable-mention all-sectional honors and praise from the people who watched him go about his business ... The Raiders allowed 29 goals in 22 games ... "Paingor was one of the most commented on defenders in the SWSC this season for his speed, physical play and field-marking," Raiders coach Jamie Clemmons said. "He had the responsibility of marking the best players from many teams."

NATE O'CONNOR
Lincoln-Way C., senior, defender

Noteworthy: O'Connor earned all-sectional honors playing the sweeper position for the Knights ... He also chipped in 2 assists ... "Nate did all the dirty work for us," Knights Central coach Dan Radz said. "He came to practice to work hard and gave it his all in games. Playing sweeper for us this year, he was hard to get past."

ULISES ORENELAS
Joliet Twp., junior, midfielder

Noteworthy: Ornelas scored 13 goals -- most of them coming on set pieces ... He is a left-footer who can do amazing tricks with the ball ... He curves it around the post with the best of them ... He earned all-conference and honorable-mention all-sectional honors while helping JT post a 15-6-1 record ... "He's our future," Steelmen coach Eduardo Contreras said. "He can be a phenomenal player in the midfield. What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in soccer intelligence."

LIMBER OSORIO
Plainfield North, senior, forward

Noteworthy: Osorio was the Tigers' top scorer with 8 goals and 3 assists .. He concluded a two-year varsity career as a two-time all-conference pick and as North's all-time points leader with 36 .. He was an all-sectional selection in 2007 ... "He was our go-to forward, but he has helped the team out in the midfield as well," Tigers coach Ty Dilger said. "He is a very skilled player. His determination and work ethic are a few of his best traits."

JON PALOMAR
Romeoville, junior, MF/F/D

Noteworthy: Palomar was the Spartans' jack-of-all-trades man ... He scored 4 goals, but more often than not sacrificed offense to play shutdown defense ... He even was called on to sub in the goal ... He is a three-time varsity captain and two-time "Best Effort" award winner as voted by his teammates ... "Wherever he plays, he gives 100 percent," Spartans coach Adele Wallace said. "He has a clear understanding of the strategy of the game and is totally unselfish in his play, wanting to have each team member be their personal best."

ROBERT POLACEK
Peotone, senior, midfielder

Noteworthy: Polacek scored 5 goals and had 7 assists ... He served as a captain and leader for the Blue Devils ... He first cracked into the starting lineup as a freshman ... He was a four-year starter at the center-mid position and an all-conference pick in '08.

TOMMASO RAIMONDI
Minooka, junior, defender

Noteworthy: Raimondi earned all-conference and honorable-mention all-sectional honors ... He also was named the Indians' MVP ... He scored a team-high 6 goals and chipped in 2 assists ... His No. 1 job, though, was to shore up the Minooka defense and serve as the Indians' on-field captain and leader ... "He's been in our program since his freshman year -- in-and-out," Indians coach Jason Boe said. "This was his first year to start, and he stepped it up. He knows the program and knows what is demanded of him from the coaching staff. We moved him to the back and relied on him defending for us."

EFRAIN SANCHEZ
Plainfield South, senior, forward

Noteworthy: Sanchez scored 7 goals and had 1 assist ... He earned all-conference and all-sectional honors ... He also was named as South's Offensive MVP ... "Efrain was as important to this team as Kel (Markert) in many ways," Cougars coach Mike Freitag said. "Of his seven goals, six of them were game-winners, including Lincoln-Way Central, Plainfield North (OT win in regionals) and Romeoville. He transferred from Morton, so he did not start the first few games. After three games, I moved him to forward as he was proving to be so good up front despite being a defender. He sacrificed playing his natural position to help this team, and that he did."

BRENT SMITH
JCA, junior, midfielder

Noteworthy: Smith topped the Hilltoppers with 7 goals and 6 assists ... He was named to the East Suburban Catholic all-conference team in large part because of his work ethic ... He also is an honors student with a GPA that has soared above the 4.0 mark ... "He can find the net," Hilltoppers coach Chuck Bernard said. "But what sets him apart is his work rate. He can win a ball for you in the midfield. He's also good on transition into the attack zone. He's a very well conditioned player. When you ask the kids to run, he's in front or at least right there with the leaders."