Fox Valley All-Area Boys Soccer Team

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Fernando Alvarez LarkinA 2007 all-state selection, senior sweeper Fernando Alvarez undoubtedly played a crucial role for a Larkin team that gave up less than 20 goals in 2008 en route to a 20-2 overall finish. From a defensive position, this 4-year varsity player tallied 5 goals this year while holding opponents to no more than a single goal in 20 of 22 matches. "Fernando is a great defender who has the best defensive instincts I've ever seen," said coach Ken Hall of the two-year team captain. "We gave up the fewest goals in school history, and he was a big reason for that. You don't run past him, he'll take the ball from any forward and he's incredible in the air." According to Hall, Alvarez was the lone reason the Royals beat Lyons 2-1 (OT) in this year's Pepsi Showdown which Larkin went on to win. "His play allowed us to win that game in overtime, and kept us in every contest," Hall said. Alvarez is a two-time all-conference choice (Upstate Eight) and was an all-sectional player this season.

Alex Aranda StreamwoodA 4-year starter at center-midfield, Alex Aranda has continually posted quality numbers from the midfield with 15 career goals and 45 career assists. A two-time 2008 all-sectional, all-conference selection (Upstate Eight Conference),Aranda tallied 1 goal and 15 assists this year as the Sabres finished 17-5-4 and third in the UEC. Nicknamed 'Speedy' Aranda goes for every ball according to Sabres coach Matt Polovin. "Alex has great distribution with both feet," said Polovin. "He takes all of our free kicks and corners. He shoots with power and accuracy from both feet, and he played center midfield perfectly for most of his high school career. I never took him out." In a 2-1 win over Schaumburg, Aranda nabbed the game-winner, and was a big reason the Sabres found themselves among the Daily Herald Top 20 chart for several consecutive weeks, finishing in the No. 11 slot. "I never took him out of a game," said Polovin. "He goes hard for everything, practices hard and plays harder. We wouldn't have been the same team without him." Aranda's consistent play has landed him on the Daily Herald all-area team for the second straight season.

John Cabral HampshireFreshman forward John Cabral broke onto the high school scene as a man on a mission, and quickly helped Hampshire bounce back from a 1-5 start to a 10-10-1 overall finish that included a trip to the sectional semifinals. In 15 games, Cabral tallied 15 goals. His consistency was especially dominant in big-game situations. "There is a fine line between cocky and confident, and John is in the perfect place," said Hampshire coach John Gosling. "He can turn games around because he is an excellent striker who can attack at any moment." The 5-foot-10 inch 135 pound forward can pull the trigger successfully with both feet, and often escapes tight situations to find the back of the net. "John has that one intangible that you cannot teach," said Gosling. "He is more experienced and more soccer smart than the average freshman. He has a nose for the goal, his ball skills are extremely strong, he loves to perform and loves to score goals."

Luis Cabral JacobsThe definition of a utility player, Luis Cabral found his home primarily in the midfield or at striker for Jacobs in 2008. Collecting a double-double with 11 goals and 10 assists, Cabral was an all-sectional and all-conference (Fox Valley Conference Valley Division) choice this season. Natural ability enabled Cabral to record a bevy of game-winning goals this year including one in the sectional semifinals, when Jacobs knocked out Round Lake 2-0 to advance to the sectional finals where it ended a second consecutive postseason run. "Luis is a very versatile player who sees the ball well," said Golden Eagles coach Jim Dzialo. "It has been a while since I have seen a player who can strike the ball like Luis can. He keeps it very low and his strike is incredibly powerful." According to Dzialo, Cabral compensated for decent speed with ball skills. "He has excellent ball skills," Dzialo said. "He can take anyone one-on-one, he is very talented with the ball and he is an extremely smart player who reads the game well." A 3-year varsity player, Cabral was a big reason Jacobs concluded the 2008 campaign at 14-8-4 making it further than any area team before falling to Rockford Boylan in the sectional finals.

Nico Carbonara HuntleyA marked man, 4-year varsity forward Nico Carbonara pushed beyond a slow start to finish the season with 20 goals and 9 assists. The conclusion helped Carbonara become the career leader in scoring at Huntley High School with 75 effective knocks. "Nico finished very strong," said Huntley coach Kris Grabner. Scoring in six of the team's final eight matches, the two-time all-conference (Fox Valley Conference Fox Division) and all-sectional selection completed the year with half a dozen multi-goal games. "Nico always finds a way to score," Grabner said. "I haven't seen anybody that can dribble a ball like he does." A 2007 Daily Herald All-Area choice, Carbonara brought a plethora of threats to the Red Raider scoring attack. "He can bend it," said Grabner. "He can drive it too. He has great ball distribution, and has the ability to strike from the outside as well as the ability to be lethal inside. He has excellent placement and an extremely quick shot." Carbonara will leave a legacy at Huntley currently leading the charts in both goals and assists.

Kyle DeRaedt Burlington CentralEntering the net for Burlington Central as a freshman, Kyle DeRaedt has not only put up career numbers for the Rockets, but numbers to rival some of the best in the state. With 217 saves (20th all-time best in Illinois) and 8 shutouts this year, DeRaedt finishes his career with 21 shutouts and 584 saves. Named the 2007 team MVP, DeRaedt's 584 saves place him 11th on the all-time leaderboard in Illinois (IHSA Web site). Despite spending every minute in goal this year, this all-sectional, three-time all-conference (Big Northern East) option managed to nab a goal and a pair of assists. "Kyle is the most skilled boys goalkeeper I have ever coached," said Rockets coach Michael Gecan. "He has been the commander of our defense for the past three years." A team co-captain, DeRaedt was a 2007 Daily Herald All-Area selection who returns to the roster for a second straight season. "Kyle makes difficult saves look easy," said Gecan. "He is the type of player that comes around once in a lifetime. His reaction time is excellent, his decision making is very concise and his foot skills are phenomenal for a keeper. He could have played the field for us effectively in any match."

Dan Graves Westminster ChristianWhen the Warriors needed a big-game player, Dan Graves was the man. A 4-year varsity player and 3-year starter, this senior stopper was a difference maker. "We could always count on Dan coming through in big games," said coach Mike Richardson. "His defensive abilities are top-notch. He is the type of player that took games over." Despite playing a defensive role, Graves managed half a dozen goals and a number of assists from the back end. "Dan does what is asked of him and more," said Richardson. "He has a solid physical presence, he is tough and aggressive and has an innate ability to read the game." A team captain, Graves set an outstandingexample for the team according to Richardson. "Dan led this team both on and off the field, and his work ethic was first-rate." His composure on the pitch unquestionably helped him earn all-conference honors (Private School League) for the second straight season, while helping the Warriors to a 9-8-1 overall finish despite roistering just three seniors.

Danny Hinterlong LarkinPlaying center-midfield for 20-2 team which scored 50 goals, Danny Hinterlong had a part in nearly every offensive play the Royals converted. With 7 goals and 18 assists, this two-year varsity starter earned Upstate Eight Conference honors in his senior campaign. "All of our offense ran through Danny," said Larkin coach Ken Hall. "He controls the game in the midfield for us, and does all the dirty work that is key to our success." That success included championship honors in the largest high school boys soccer tournament in the Midwest and third largest in the country, the Pepsi Showdown where Hinterlong kept the Royals alive with a crucial regulation goal against Lyons. Larkin went on to win that contest 2-1 in overtime. "Danny wins in the air, he is very strong on the ball and we scored a ton off his notably long throw-ins," said Hall.

Jordan Innis Crystal Lake SouthJordan Innis has been among the area leaders in scoring since joining the Crystal Lake South varsity roster in 2006, repeating the feat this year with 20 goals and 8 assists. Innis not only scored early, but scored often finding the back of the net in 17 of 22 games this season despite battling double and triple coverage. "Jordan's work rate and consistency this year made him one of our most valuable players," said South coach Brian Allen. "He is a pure finisher," Allen added. "He makes you pay. His touch and his ability to turn defenders around is remarkable. He can also get behind defenders with pure speed." Innis racked up 45 career goals and 17 career assists for 107 points earning himself all-conference (Fox Valley Conference Valley Division) and all-sectional honors for the second straight year. Chosen as a team captain in 2008, Innis flourished as a leader helping the Gators to a 9-13-1 finish. "Jordan can do it all," said Allen. " His efforts on the pitch earned him the respect of opposing coaches Jim Dzialo, Mark Olson and Kris Grabner.

Mike Kochanski BartlettKnown primarily for his communication skills, knowledge and leadership qualities on the field, Mike Kochanski not only anchored the Bartlett defense, but anchored the team as a whole in 2008. An all-conference choice and all-sectional honorable mention, this two-year varsity sweeper brought everything to the pitch. "Mike has been a leader for us all year," said Hawks coach Steven Buchs. "He has been remarkably consistent, and played through both injury and illness to help the team and to better himself." A team captain for Bartlett, Kochanski's soccer abilities only strengthened his overall presence. "Mike is an aggressive and strong defensive player who has both size and quickness," said Buchs. "He picked incredible angles, and would risk mistakes knowing that he could get back. He was a step above others. Mike is an extremely intelligent kid, and he brought that to the game."

Nick McDonald Cary-GroveAfter starting in the midfield as a sophomore, Nick McDonald was promoted to the forward slot due to his sheer determination and ability to create his own scoring opportunities. After finding the back of the net 13 times (9 assists) last year, McDonald topped himself in 2008 to lead the Trojan offense with 18 goals and 6 assists. "Nick is very important to our team," said C-G coach Mark Olson. "He has a high work rate, he is remarkable at beating people, and he seldom came off the field." That work ethic translated into all-conference (Fox Valley Conference Valley) and all-sectional honors this year, and helped Cary-Grove to a 15-2-1 overall conclusion. "John's ball skills are very good and he was best at keeping the ball close," said Olson. " More times than not, he won the ball in any challenge."

Kevin Montelongo HuntleyIt isn't every day that a team sees strong leadership in a sophomore as is the case for Huntley with goalkeeper Kevin Montelongo. In his first full season between the bars, Montelongo collected 5 shutouts while recording well over 200 saves to assist the Red Raiders to a 9-7-2 finish. "Kevin is a vocal leader," said coach Kris Grabner. "For a sophomore to step up and be the kind of leader Kevin has been is rare and speaks volumes for the type of player he is." Most noteworthy is the 6-foot-5, 220 pound keeper's ability to make the big play. "Kevin has had three to five huge, game-saving saves per game," Grabner said. "In our first meeting with Jacobs, a 3-3 tie, Kevin stopped twenty-three shots. Five or six of those were highlight reels." Montelongo is very quick, extremely good on the ground and excellent in the air. "For how many shots Kevin faced, his numbers are remarkable."

John Oberleis Cary-GroveCary-Grove has made shutouts its business. According to head coach Mark Olson, John Oberleis is a big reason for that. A senior defender and 3-year starter, Oberleis saw his team rack up 12 shutouts in his sophomore campaign, 11 season year and 9 in 2008. "John played a huge part in all of our shutouts," said Olson. "He is the glue back there. He is very gutsy and determined." Last year, Oberleis broke his leg during a game against Crystal Lake South, stayed in through 4 overtimes and scored a goal. "John is one of our most skilled players," Olson said. "He can move and has good technical and tactical ability." An all-conference (Fox Valley-Valley) and all-sectional selection, Oberleis netted 10 goals and 4 assists from a defensive position. "John is one of our smartest players, and is always determined to get the job done."

Roma Patino StreamwoodJunior forward Roma Patino has already posted big offensive numbers for Streamwood with 30 career goals and 10 assists. Patino's speed helped him to 13 goals and 6 assists this year. "Roma has one gear and it's fast," said Sabres coach Matt Polovin. "He takes guys on and beats them. He sets a blazing pace, and is just plain hard to keep up with." Patino hit the game-winner against West Aurora and led Streamwood to a 1-1 tie with Lake Park scoring the lone goal. "He has a phenomenal shot," Polovin said. "He has always been strong with his right foot, but added the left to his arsenal this year. With the ball, he has flash, he has quick steps and his spin moves can fool anybody. One-on-one, I would take him against any defender. The only way to stop him is to nail him."

Alex Perez StreamwoodBeing the jack-of-all-trades and master of many since joining the Sabre roster earned junior forward/goalkeeper/defender Alex Perez all-state attention this year as well as all-area co-captain honors. Just the second player in school history to receive such an honor, Perez netted 17 goals and 10 assist on offense before entering the cage for Streamwood's final six matches. "Alex did everything for us this season," said Streamwood coach Matt Polovin. "Up top, he is our go-to guy. He is a true striker. It is automatic." While in goal, Perez earned 5 wins and 2 shutouts, including a shutout against a tough St. Charles North roster. "In the net, Alex moves up and down, side to side, he comes out and challenges, and he gives up his whole body," said Polovin. "He has all the right tools." Perez also spent time as a defender. "Defensively, Alex is one of the best around," Polovin said. "I haven't seen any player do as much for a team as he has done. It's rare that you see such a special two-way player." His talent not only earned the respect of all opposing coaches, but also earned him all-conference (Upstate Eight) accolades.

Ryan Ponomar HampshireAn all-sectional, all-conference (Big Northern East) pick, Ryan Ponomar is a senior sweeper/stopper who finished the season with 4 goals and 3 assists for Hampshire. His belief that communication needs to be both early and often helped not only the Whip-Pur defense, but also assisted play in the midfield. "Ryan exemplifies an all-around player," said coach John Gosling. "He does what he's supposed to and more. Ryan was more than just talent. He helped his teammates become better players." According to Gosling, Ponomar really stepped into his role versus Hinckley-Big Rock, and those adjustments turned the season around. "Ryan was the controlling factory for our backfield," Gosling said. "Without him, we'd be missing a lot." Ponomar scored the first goal of the postseason against Belvidere, and took the team on his shoulders all the way to a sectional semifinal.

Julio Salas Dundee-CrownIn his third year at the varsity level, Julio Salas proved that he had developed into the type of player that Dundee-Crown coach Rey Vargas knew he could be. At the helm of the midfield, Salas found the back of the net 10 times this year while adding 10 assists. The senior outside midfielder stepped up against McHenry in their second meeting to tie the game at 1-1 with a goal, and later assisted on the game-winner when the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title was still on the line. "Julio took over that game," said Vargas. "That's what he did when we needed it. He is a tough player who plays hurt and always works extremely hard." An all-conference choice, Salas was also named an all-sectional honorable mention. "Julio created a ton of scoring opportunities for us on offense," said Vargas. "His ball distribution is a step above others and without him on the field, we would not be the same team. He is a very smart player who's vision on the field is expert."

Raul Sandoval LarkinNamed honorary co-captain of this year's all-area team, Raul Sandoval has contributed to Larkin's bevy of success over the past four years. With 22 goals and 14 assists, the 4-year starting forward aided the Royals to a 20-2 season earning All-State recognition. "This year, Raul really increased his composure in front of the goal which made him much more dangerous," said Larkin coach Ken Hall. "He scored on breakaways, on headers -- he really scored any way you can score." A two-year all-conference pick in the Upstate Eight Conference, this 5-foot-8 inch forward is lethal with his head and both feet providing one of the strongest shots in the area. "Raul increased his overall body strength which helped him fight off a lot of double-teams this year," Hall said. According to Hall, Sandoval was unstoppable against a stingy Streamwood defense, and posted hat tricks in his first two games. "He has a great will to win and has incredible speed. Offensively, there was nothing Raul couldn't do."

Alex Walter South ElginTeam captain Alex Walter did more for South Elgin than provide veteran guidance. The 3-year varsity starter and all-conference (Upstate Eight) selection was a top defender in the UEC as well as an offensive threat. "Alex really took an active role as the lead defender for us this season," said Storm coach Mark Neville. "Having him out there was like having a coach on the field." As a defender, Walter tallied 4 goals and 4 assists. His biggest knock was a game-winning goal in the regional opener against Addison Trail which enabled the Storm to advance to the regional quarterfinals for a program first. "Alex has been excellent with free kicks, he reads the game very well, always takes perfect angles and is great at clearing a ball," said Neville. "Technically, he is one of the most solid and most sound players I've coached."

John Ward JacobsJonathon Ward makes his second consecutive appearance as an All-Area choice in his third season with Jacobs. Having missed his sophomore campaign with a torn ACL, Ward returned in 2007 to play attack-mid, holding-mid, center-mid and defense. He did the same for the Golden Eagles as a senior. Helping Jacobs to a combined 6-2 postseason record in the past two years, Ward had three game-winning assists and recorded a total of six assists. "John is a solid player with great skills and soccer smarts," said coach Jim Dzialo. "He always has himself in the right position. If we get a lead, he moved to center defensive back and did not make mistakes." Point player on dead ball, Ward was also excellent at clearing balls. "John was consistent all year," said Dzialo. "He starts every game, and plays just about every minute." Ward earned both all-sectional and all-conference (Fox Valley Conference Valley Division) honors.

All-area roster

Player School Pos. Yr.

Fernando Alvarez Larkin SWP Sr.

Alex Aranda Streamwood MF Sr.

John Cabral Hampshire F Fr.

Luis Cabral Jacobs MF Sr.

Nico Carbonara Huntley F Sr.

Kyle DeRaedt Burlington Central GK Sr.

Dan Graves Westminster Christian D Sr.

Danny Hinterlong Larkin MF Sr.

Jordan Innis Crystal Lake South F Sr.

Mike Kochanski Bartlett SWP Sr.

Nick McDonald Cary-Grove F Sr.

Kevin Montelongo Huntley GK Sr.

John Oberleis Cary-Grove D Sr.

Roma Patino Streamwood F Sr.

*Alex Perez Streamwood F Jr.

Ryan Ponomar Hampshire STP Sr.

Julio Salas Dundee-Crown MF Sr.

*Raul Sandoval Larkin F Sr.

Alex Walter South Elgin D Sr.

John Ward Jacobs MF/D Sr.

* --Honorary captains

Honorable mention

Bartlett -- Garret Dini (Sr.) F/MF

Burlington Central -- Ryan Warner (Sr.) F, Charlie Schmidlin (Sr.) D/MF, Jonathan Klopcic (Jr.) D

Cary-Grove -- Phil Hansen (Sr.) MF, Calvin Brown (Sr.) F, Tyler Cuchna (Sr.) MF

Crystal Lake South -- Carey Bienert (Jr.) D

Dundee-Crown -- Ricardo Carrillo (Sr.) F, Wyatt Vucic (Sr.) MF

Elgin -- Pedro Rodriguez (Sr.) MF/D, Kevin Rodriguez (Sr.) stopper

Elgin Academy -- Adam Neuman F, Johnathan Busano F, Evan Mata D

Hampshire -- Robert Murphy (Jr.) Utility

Huntley -- Jesus Alejos (Sr.) MF

Jacobs -- Mike Wallace (Sr.) MF/Striker

Larkin -- Michael Berequin (Sr.) F, Raziel Somarriba (Sr.) GK

St. Edward -- Clayton Pfeiffer (Sr.) F, Lucas Belcher (Sr.) Sweeper, John Currie (Sr.) D, Miguel Martinez (Sr.) MF, Luke McCullagh (Sr.) MF

Streamwood -- Alex Lopez (Sr.) F

South Elgin -- Bart Mazurek (Jr.) F, Ernesto Cabellero (Jr.) F

Westminster Christian -- Ryan Beachler (Jr.) D/MF, Scott Saturik (So.) GK, Josh Beachler (Fr.) F/MF

CAPTAIN'S HONOR ROLL

2008 --Alex Perez (Streamwood) and Raul Sandoval (Larkin)

2007 --David Rodriguez (Larkin)

2006 -- Christian Meza (Dundee-Crown) and Tyler Beachler (Westminster Christian)

2005 -- Joe Keating (St. Edward)

2004 -- Mike Stumpf (Crystal Lake South)

2003 -- Dan Breen (Cary-Grove

2002 -- Jeff Diehl (Jacobs)

2001 -- Matt Grimmer (Bartlett) and Mark Sommerville (Jacobs)

2000 --John Dahlquist (Bartlett)

1999 --Ryan McKenna (Larkin) and Blair McLaughlin (Larkin)

1998 --Ryan McKenna (Larkin)

1997 --Sean Rafferty (Elgin)

1996 --Nick Dudziak (Elgin)

1995 --Peter Takacs (Larkin)

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