Boys soccer: Tri-Cities all-area team

Noah Anthony

St. Charles North

There isn't much Noah Anthony can't do. He scores, he assists on scores, and most considerably he makes those around him play better. It takes a special talent to do that and Anthony has done it in leading the North Stars to a 15-5-4 regular season record. “He's pretty amazing and only certain guys who step out on the field are at a different level and Noah is one of those guys,” St. Charles North coach Eric Willson said. “He's a great leader, a quality character kid to have around and he gets players around him to be better.” Anthony had 15 goals and 17 assists entering the postseason and then scored and assisted on a pair of goals in the playoff opener.

Mario Alvarez

West Aurora

This three-year starter finished his career in fine fashion for the Blackhawks, scoring 19 goals and finishing with 15 assists to help the Blackhawks win 16 games, a year after he helped them establish a school record of 18 wins in a season. Named the MVP of his team, a first team DuPage Valley Conference selection and all-sectional player. Finished his career with 97 points, second only in school history to Jose Alfaro (102).

Jonny Bren

St. Charles East

St. Charles East created countless opportunities this season, and while the Saints didn't finish as many as they would like, they found great success this fall, winning the inaugural Upstate Eight Conference River Division. Jonny Bren, an all-sectional selection, had a great deal to do with the Saints success, maturing into a veteran leader and dangerous offensive weapon. “He's been a mainstay of the team,” St. Charles East coach Paul Jennison said. “He's always been a threat up top, is a very tough tackler and he really turned himself around in terms of maturity (this year).”

Eduardo ‘Lalo' Cuautle

Batavia

Scoring goals is a great feeling, but it's also awfully difficult to do with regularity. While the Bulldogs had their share of struggles finding the back of the net, this junior was their connector with defender Anthony Torres and forward Cody Witkowski. “When he's touching the ball we're doing pretty well,” Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco said. “He's got accuracy on long balls, plays bigger than he looks and he's flexible in the midfield.” Voted as a co-captain at Batavia, Cuautle finished with 9 goals and 14 assists.

Robbie Johnson

Geneva

Before the season, the 6-foot-2 senior was selected to the 2010 Disney Soccer Showcase All-Star Team and traveled to Chelsea Academy in London. Expectations were high for Johnson and he met them. “He shut down the other team's top defenders and that's been tremendous,” Geneva coach Ryan Estabrook said. “He had a tremendous experience (in England) and I think that made expectations higher for him but he's done a great job this year.” Johnson also scored 6 goals in the regular season, most coming off set pieces.

Matt Koth

West Aurora

The loss of 2009 all-area captain Henrry Perez immediately spelled concerns with the Blackhawks defense, but no one made as significant of a leap as junior Matt Koth. He went from approximately 200 minutes of playing time as a sophomore to someone who didn't leave the field until the game was decided in West Aurora's 16-6-1 season. Koth, an all-DuPage Valley Conference and all-sectional selection, was named defensive player of the year at West Aurora.

Mick Maley

Marmion

This junior started the year in back before moving to a defensive and midfielder role in the team's seventh game and still compiled 16 goals and 10 assists. “We played (against a lot of very good teams) and quite honestly, I didn't see anyone better than Mick Maley,” Marmion coach Kevin O'Connor said. “There were some guys equally as strong as players, but none better in my estimation.”

Eric Russell

St. Charles East

It probably couldn't have been scripted any better on Oct. 12 when the senior scored the game's only goal against Larkin to give the Saints the Upstate Eight Conference River Division title. “He's our captain and been rock solid all season in the back,” St. Charles East coach Paul Jennison said. “He had a couple game-winning goals on free kicks and has been the main reason to our success.” Russell, who also scored against crosstown rival St. Charles North, will not play in college. “It's a massive shame that he's not going to play,” Jennison said. “He's made everyone around him a better player.”

Anthony Torres

Batavia

You can find players who don't make many mistakes, communicate well in organizing and leading their team and are full of energy, but not many of them share all of the aforementioned attributes. Anthony Torres was a natural leader for the Bulldogs (1.6 GAA, 4 shutouts) both vocally and by example. “If we do not have him in the back we are giving up a ton of goals,” Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco said. “He's one of those players who makes your job easier and it's been fun to see the evolution of Anthony not only as a person, but as a player in the role he's created for himself.”

Brady Wahl

Geneva

The All-Area captain is also the only player who was named to the All-Area team last year. Wahl battled back from mono last year and entered this season strong and healthy. “It's hard to leave a Geneva game and not notice him because he's so dominant,” Geneva coach Ryan Estabrook said. “He's a pretty special player who continues to get better. As a sophomore and junior he was reluctant to really run at the defense, but this year he looks up field and beats defenders off the dribble and has made the team more dangerous.” Wahl, who finished with 9 goals and 12 assists in the regular season, will play at Ohio State.

Mike Winhoffer

St. Charles North

There's a great deal of energy exerted by St. Charles North junior forward Mike Winhoffer and it's seemingly carried over from all his hard work since day one. “He came into the program as a freshman and got on varsity and has been one of the hardest workers since freshman year,” St. Charles North coach Eric Willson said. “It doesn't matter where he plays. We keep moving him up closer to the goal each year and he's been great.”

Special mention

Jared Casey, Sr., St. Charles North, Mick Frasca, Jr., Marmion, Alex Gil, So., Kaneland, Austin Jackman, Jr., St. Charles East, Seamus Kaminski, Sr., Geneva, Josue Martinez, Sr., West Aurora, Brian Ruane, Sr., Geneva, Brandon Stanko, Sr., St. Charles North, Matthew Switzer, So., Marmion, Cody Witkowski, Jr., Batavia

Honorable mention

Jordan Escobedo, Jr., Kaneland, Cesar Garcia, Sr., West Aurora, Craig Hancock, Sr., Geneva, Ethan Jendrzejczyk, Jr., St. Charles East, Connor Lefelstein, So., St. Charles North, Zack Matuszak, Sr., St. Charles North, Anthony Parillo, Fr., Kaneland, Josh Poythress, So., Geneva, David Quinones, Jr., West Aurora, Justin Reyburn, Sr., Batavia, Alex Ruble, Jr., Marmion, Robert Schurz, So., IMSA, Shane Samuels, Sr., Aurora Central, Derek White, Sr., Kaneland