All-Area Soccer First Team

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ANTONIO ALVAREZ
JCA, Sr., MF/F

Highlights: Alvarez scored 3 goals and had 10 assists ... Led JCA to a 10-9-3 record ... The Hilltoppers won the 2A JCA Regional before dropping a 2-0 decision to Bremen at the Lemont Sectional ... Alvarez was named to the East Suburban Catholic all-conference team ... Had 24 assists over the last two years.

Coach Chuck Bernard said: "Antonio is just an excellent student of the game. He finds joy on the soccer field. He's good with the ball on his foot. He has excellent vision. He had 10 assists this year. Last year, we had a more prolific scoring team and he had 14 assists. That's what stands out. He's the kind of guy who makes everybody else better. You don't always see him. But when we have opportunities and/or score goals, he's usually involved."

ARTURO CRUZ
Bolingbrook, Jr., midfielder

Highlights: Cruz scored 16 goals and had 2 assists ... He was named to all-tournament teams at Lemont and in the Pepsi Showdown ... He also was an all-conference and all-sectional selection.

Coach Jamie Clemmons said: "Arturo is the best player on our team. When he plays well, we have good results. He is a leader on and off the field -- an excellent student with a 3.2 GPA. He was one of only two underclassmen to make the all-tournament team at the Pepsi Showdown."

PHIL GALOUNIS
Lincoln-Way C., Sr., midfielder

Highlights: Galounis scored 12 goals and had 4 assists ... He was a shining Knight is his final season at Lincoln-Way Central ... His hat trick triggered a rout over Bradley-Bourbonnais ... He earned all-conference and all-sectional honors for the second year in a row ... He has the size to take on defenders in the goalmouth and the creativity to generate offense in the open field.

Coach Dan Radz said: "Phil was a good ballhandler and distributor of the ball. Good on the offensive side of the ball and when the ball was to his feet."

KEL MARKERT
Plainfield So., Sr., goalkeeper

Highlights: Markert finished with a 1.8 goals-against average ... He made 124 saves and had four shutouts in 14 games ... He was voted MVP by his Plainfield South teammates ... He also earned all-conference and all-sectional honors and was an academic all-state honorable mention selection ... He served as one of the Cougars' three captains ... He played six games with a broken wrist -- until he could bare the pain no more.

Coach Mike Freitag said: "When Kel came back from injury, he let up more than a goal only once -- in our loss to Naperville Central, the No. 1 seed in the Naperville Central Sectional. He had three shutouts in that seven-game span and three one-goal against games. Kel is a big reason we let up less goals than any other team in school history, shattering the old record by 13 less goals allowed."

ROBBIE MCGOWAN
Lincoln-Way E., Sr., midfielder

Highlights: McGowan scored 14 goals and had 10 assists ... He earned all-conference and all-sectional honors while leading the Griffins to a 12-10 record.

Coach Brian Papa said: "If we needed a big goal in a big game, he was the one scoring it. He's very technical. He always had this problem -- he wasn't considered big enough. But this year, he grew 2 inches. He used his body well to protect the ball. When he kept it simple, he was the best player on the field. He played without the ball. He has great vision."

ANDY MCKANNA
Joliet Twp., Sr., forward

Highlights: McKanna scored 18 goals this season and 24 in two years at JT ... He helped the Steelmen post a record of 15-6-1 and was a warrior in a 3-1 loss to Normal Community in the regional final ... JT played without six regulars because of a meningitis scare ... He transferred into the Steelmen program after playing on the varsity ranks as a freshman and sophomore at Plainfield South ... He earned all-conference and all-sectional honors and served as one of JT's captains for the last two years.

Coach Eduardo Contreras said: "He was our driving force up on top. His presence brought a positive influence into the program. He's a fabulous kid and phenomenal player. We're going to miss him, that's for sure."

ALEX MUNOZ
Romeoville, Sr., defender

Highlights: Munoz was the Spartans' sweeper and leader on defense ... He served as a team captain in his second year playing on the varsity level ... He earned all-conference and all-sectional honors in addition to capturing Romeoville's MVP award.

Coach Adele Wallace said: "He could clear the ball 60 yards and score off a free kick. His enthusiasm helped us improve our record this year. Even though we were 4-11, we lost six games by only one goal -- a great improvement over last year, due mostly from his leadership."

JON ROSENBAUM
Plainfield C., So., forward

Highlights: Rosenbaum scored 13 goals and had 4 assists ... He was an all-tournament pick at the Pepsi Showdown ... He also earned all-conference and all-sectional honors ... He led the Wildcats to the Southwest Prairie Conference championship. They compiled an overall record of 13-6-2.

Coach Kevin Fitzgerald said: "Jon is the most intense player I ever have coached, has a great knowledge of the game, plays with an extremely aggressive style and is a natural leader, being named captain as a sophomore."

GARY SORICH
Lemont, Sr., defender

Highlights: Sorich scored 1 goal and had 3 assists, but his value to the Indians was in leaving the "Mark of Sorich" on opponents. His job was to mark the best player on the other side of the field ... Earned all-conference honors and helped Lemont post 25 shutouts over a two-year period ... Team captain.

Coach Rick Prangen said: "Gary has been one of the key defensive players for us the last two seasons. He is our team's best defender. He is a strong tackler of the ball, has good pace and has the technical skill to keep the ball for our team so that we can have a build-up from the back."

LOGAN SPIDLE
Plainfield C., Jr., midfielder

Highlights: Spidle scored 8 goals and had 13 assists ... Earned all-conference and all-sectional honors after directly figuring in 21 of 45 goals scored by the Wildcats.

Coach Kevin Fitzgerald said: "Logan is the classic center midfielder with playmaking ability. He reads the field as well as anyone and can place the ball very accurately. Because of his ability, he takes all our set pieces and is our main distributor of the ball. Without him on the field, we would have a very tough time maintaining possession and getting any sort of build-up forward."

KYLE SPOO
Lemont, Jr., forward

Highlights: Spoo scored 17 goals and had 8 assists ... He earned all-conference and all-sectional honors for the second year in a row ... He also boosted his two-year varsity scoring totals to 45 goals and 22 assists ... Instrumental in the Indians' drive to the Class AA quarterfinals in 2007.

Coach Rick Prangen said: "Kyle is one of the best forwards in the area. His size, technical ability and vision make him an excellent target player. He has the ability to beat players one-on-one as well as distribute the ball to his teammates. Inside the penalty box, he is a very good finisher with either foot or his head."

RYAN TURNER
Lockport, Sr., forward

Highlights: Turner scored 14 goals and had 5 assists ... He earned all-conference and honorable-mention all-sectional honors ... He used his size -- 6-0, 180 -- to hold the ball on top ... He benefitted from the work of teammates Bob Novak and Lucas Zeiler to lead the Porters in scoring. He scored 20 goals in two years on the varsity level.

Coach Dan Baumhardt said: "He was one of our most improved players after coming up last year. He was solid and put a few balls away for us."

MIKE VERTIN
Joliet Twp., Sr., goalkeeper

Highlights: Vertin notched 7 shutouts this season and 22 in an illustrious three-year varsity career ... Two-time team captain and two-time all-conference and all-sectional selection.

Coach Eduardo Contreras said: "His leadership was a big thing for us and not just on the field, but also off the field. He was a cornerstone piece for our program these last few years. He helped stem the tide and put the JT program back on track, back where it belongs in this area. He was one of the big reasons we won the conference championship two of the last three years."

LUCAS ZEILER
Lockport, Sr., midfielder

Highlights: Zeiler scored 8 goals and had 5 assists ... Rarned all-conference and all-sectional honors while helping Porters gain a share of the Southwest Suburban Blue title ... Boosted career totals to 15 goals and 10 assists.

Coach Dan Baumhardt said: "Luke is a little bigger midfield player. He held our group together. At times, everything ran as Luke ran. He was a solid leader for us."