High School Soccer

BY JOSEPH STASZEWSKI

Elmont coach Patrick Corvetti knew Ahkeel Rodney was one of the elite soccer players on Long Island, but didn’t know his talents went far beyond that.

Rodney simply didn’t tell him.

"He’s very modest," Corvetti said. "I didn’t know he played for the national team until I put him up for awards He never even told me. He is a modest kid who wants to win."

Rodney, Newsday’s Nassau Player of the Year, starts for the U17 national team and the Region 1 team. For Elmont last season he scored a Long Island leading 33 goals to go along with four assists. The junior’s desire to win was evident after Elmont (11-4-1) saw a 4-1 lead evaporate against Plainview JFK late in the season. After he tied the score at 5 with 1:00 left in the game, Rodney scored the winner, his fourth goal of the contest, with 15 seconds left in the game. It was his seventh goal in two contests.

"I didn’t want to lose at all," Rodney said. "We couldn’t lose. That was crunch time for playoffs. I just kept working."

The All-Region selection was as dominate an offensive force as you could find, even though he drew multiple defenders and a defense’s undivided attention nearly ever game. Rodney possesses superb quickness, great accuracy and excellent foot skills. He has already received interest from St. John’s, Boston College, Santa Clara and Hofstra among others.

"He would be like a five-tool baseball player," Corvetti said. "He is fast, he has soccer smarts, he’s athletic, he’s coachable, and he’s a leader. He’s got the whole package. If he played goalie he wouldn’t give up a goal."

Rodney believes his role will increase even more next season as Elmont loses a substantial number of seniors. It should bring even more attention on him and possibly more accolades, but he’d rather quietly go about the business of winning.

"I don’t really like telling people that stuff," Rodney said. "I’m very humble. I don’t like people going ‘oh, oh, congratulations.’"

After this season he may get use to it.

BY JOSEPH STASZEWSKI

The West Babylon boys soccer team earned the Academic Team Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for the second straight year. The team's grade point average of 4.59 was the highest of any boys or girls team in the country.

1. West Babylon (GPA 4.59)

2. McKinney Boyd, Texas (4.32)

3. Dorman Roebuck, South Carolina (4.15)

4. Clayton, North Carolina (4.02)

5. Brookland Cayce, South Carolina (3.93)

BY JOSEPH STASZEWSKI

I had the pleasure of attending the Suffolk boys soccer awards dinner at Villa Lombardi's in Holbrook on Monday. There I saw talented players and coaches receive well deserved awards while enjoying a delicious chicken cutlet parmesan meal. The event was well run and Lou Hanner and his association should be praised for its organization.

The following are the award winners from each county.

NSCAA/adidas Final National Rankings

1 South Side (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) * 2 22 - 0 - 0
2 Acton-Boxborough Regional (Acton, Mass.) * 3 22 - 0 - 1
3 Lincoln (Portland, Ore.) * 4 18 - 0 - 0
4 St. Ursula Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio) * 5 20 - 1 - 2
5 St. John's College Prep (Washington, D.C.) * 6 21 - 2 - 2
6 Eastlake (Sammamish, Wash.) * 8 19 - 0 - 0
6 Gorham (Maine) * 7 17 - 0 - 1
8 Lenape (Medford, N.J.) * NR 22 - 1 - 1
9 Battle Ground Academy (Franklin, Tenn.) * 10 17 - 1 - 5
10 Issaquah (Wash.) * 12 19 - 0 - 1
11 Greece Arcadia (Rochester, N.Y.) * NR 20 - 2 - 1
12 Strongsville (Ohio) * 13 18 - 1 - 4
13 Gloucester Catholic (Gloucester City, N.J.) * NR 21 - 1 - 1
14 St. Anthony's (Melville, N.Y.) * 9 20 - 0 - 0
15 Immaculate Heart Academy (Township of Washington, N.J.) 1 22 - 1 - 0
16 Lakeville South (Lakeville, Minn.) * 18 20 - 2 - 0
17 Pennington School (Pennington, N.J.) * 11 19 - 3 - 0
18 Bearden (Knoxville, Tenn.) * 19 23 - 2 - 2
19 Oliver Ames (Easton, Mass.) * NR 21 - 1 - 1
20 Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.) 14 19 - 2 - 1
21 Conestoga (Berwyn, Pa.) * 23 23 - 2 - 1
21 Casa Grande (Petaluma, Calif.) # 24 16 - 3 - 1
23 Alta (Sandy, Utah) * 25 18 - 2 - 0
24 Exeter (N.H.) * 16 18 - 1 - 1
25 Collierville (Tenn.) * 22 20 - 1 - 5

Also receiving votes: Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.), Cicero North Syracuse (Syracuse, N.Y.)
* Denotes State Champion
# Denotes District Champion

Check out this week's N-Zone video, the 2007 Fall Season in Review.

CLASS AA

NYSSCOGS State Player of the Year: Jessica Shufelt (Greece Arcadia-5)
NYSSCOGS State Coach of the Year: David Prutting (LI St. Anthony’s-CHS)
1st team
01 11 G Stephanie Reimer (Suffern)
02 12 A Ashleigh Barone (Shenendehowa)
02 12 M Becca Lee (Bethlehem)
05 12 A Jessica Shufelt (Greece Arcadia)
08 11 AM Vicky DiMartino (Massapequa)
11 12 M Laura Greene (Sachem East)
11 12 D Jennifer Abbate (Northport)
11 12 A Marissa Caroleo (North Babylon) C
12 D Brianna Garcia (LI St. Anthony's)C
10 A Rachel Nuzzolese (LI St. Anthony's)C
12 M Katie Nagy (LI St. Anthony's)
2nd team
01 11 A Stephanie Velez (Mamaroneck)
01 12 A Meghan Levacchia (North Rockland)
02 09 A Kristina Maksuti (Bethlehem)
02 12 M Becca Millock (Shaker)
03 12 M M.E. Lapham (Syracuse CBA)
03 12 D Lis Zuern (Cicero-North Syracuse)
05 12 M Brittany Godin (Greece Arcadia)
11 11 G Alexis Gonzalez (Hauppauge)
11 11 A Danielle Murino (Connequot)
11 12 M Erin Pardini (Smithtown West) C
11 D Devin McTeague (LI Sacred Heart)
3rd team
02 11 G Olivia De Marco (Troy Catholic)
02 11 A Caitlin Kahalan (Shaker)
04 10 A Liz Dwornick (Union-Endicott)
05 12 M Ashley Grove (Aquinas)
05 12 D Sarah Henderson (Aquinas)
06 12 D Shannon Algoe (Williamsville North)
08 12 A Sade Ayinde (Mepham)
09 11 A Jackie Frey (Monroe-Woodbury)
11 11 A Maggie DeVerna (Ward Melville)
11 11 M Jennifer Melton (North Babylon)C
10 M Devin Prendergast (LI St. John the Baptist)
4th team
01 12 M Colleen Barry (Arlington)
02 12 D Alicia D'Alessandro (Niskayuna)
02 12 M Kathryn Thomas (Shaker)
02 12 M Marrisa Wing (Columbia)
03 11 AM Nicole Close (Cicero-North Syracuse)
04 12 M Chelsea England (Vestal)
05 12 M Amy O'Sullivan (Rochester Mercy)
08 11 AD Kim DeCesare (Massapequa)
09 12 G Kelly Mahoney (Washingtonville)
11 11 M Chelsea DeVerna (Ward Melville) C
11 D Elizabeth Botto (LI Holy Trinity)
5th team
01 12 D Courtney Miller (Horace Greeley)
02 12 M Courtney Blanchard (Queensbury)
04 12 M Rebecca Marx (Corning-Painted Post)
05 12 M Alyssa Barrett (Penfield)
06 12 M Amber Smyth (North Tonawanda)
06 11 F Jenna Rickan (Kenmore West)
08 12 M Alyssa Kildare (Farmingdale)
09 11 A Caitlyn Reilly (Monroe-Woodbury)
09 12 G Emily Sheilds (Warwick)
11 12 A Jasmyne Spencer (Bayshore)
11 12 M Megan Klement (Smithtown West)
6th team
01 11 M Jen Mansfield (John Jay EF)
02 10 A Liz Boyer (Saratoga)
02 11 A Whitney Frary (Niskayuna)
03 11 A Chelsea Kuss (West Genesee)
04 11 M Adriana Gaeta (Union-Endicott)
05 12 M Erika Luedke (Greece Arcadia)
06 12 M Ashley Beamish (Niagara Wheatfield)
08 12 M Brittany Walsh (East Meadow)
09 12 M Janelle Taylor (Washingtonville)
11 10 D Alyssa Brandofino (Commack)
11 12 M Jenna Stasiewicz (Smithtown East)

CLASS A
NYSSCOGS State Player of the Year: Alaina Beyar (Rockville Ctr. Southside-8)
NYSSCOGS State Coach of the Year: John Schroeder (Sayville-11)* *posthumously awarded
1st team
01 12 A Samantha Porco (Lourdes)
04 12 M Taylor Kucharski (Maine-Endwell)
04 11 D Lindsey Doxtader (Oneonta)
05 12 D Liesel Toth (Victor)
05 12 M Laura Hansen (Pittsford Mendon)
05 12 G Jessica Dulski (Pittsford Mendon)
06 12 M Jenny Griffin (Williamsville East)
08 12 A Alaina Beyar (Rockville Ctr. Southside)
08 12 D Katie Starsia (Rockville Ctr. Southside)
08 10 M Crystal Dunn (Rockville Ctr. Southside)
11 11 M Domenica Hodak (Sayville)
2nd team
01 12 D Rashida Sherman (Pelham)
02 12 M Tess Massaroni (Holy Names)
02 10 D Amanda Malone (Burnt Hills)
04 12 A Jamie Holliday (Maine Endwell)
05 12 M Lindsay Tegas (Wayne)
05 11 D Alyssa Abel (Victor)
08 12 G Kelli Hughes (Malverne-ER)
08 11 M Nicole Daly (New Hyde Park)
11 12 A Colleen McKenna (Eastport-South Manor)
11 12 D Ashley Khan (Islip)
11 11 M Dianna Marinaro (Shoreham-Wading River)
3rd team
02 11 M Brittni Lionarons (Averill Park)
03 12 A Natalie Muka (Cortland)
03 12 M Kaylee Benz (Homer)
05 12 D Keeler Topping (Pittsford Mendon)
06 12 D Jackie Coe (Grand Island)
08 11 MD Ashley Moore (Island Trees)
09 12 D Stephaine Strine (Cornwall)
11 12 G Allie Rivera (Shoreham-Wading River)
11 10 A Kara Mupo (Rocky Point)
11 11 A Jasmine DePompeo (Sayville)
11 12 M Leslie O’Brien (Huntington)
4th team
02 12 G Megan Sleezer (Gloversville)
06 11 D Neha Bakhai (Williamsville East)
06 12 F Catie Hilliard (Grand Island)
06 12 F Sarah Tarantino (East Aurora)
08 12 D Dayna DeFliese (Garden City)
09 12 A Kaitlyn Sharo (Cornwall)
10 12 A Katie Behrens (Massena)
11 08 A Kari Quinn (Shoreham-Wading River)
11 12 D Meghan Clifton (Shoreham-Wading River)C
11 M Julie Vigliotti (Staten Island Notre Dame)C
11 A Caroline Jastremski (Staten Island Notre Dame)
5th team
01 12 A Lia Bellizzi (Rye)
02 12 M Alexis Wallace (South Glens Falls)
02 10 D Sara Cipperly (Lansingburgh)
03 11 M Gabby Ariola (Mexico)
03 12 D Alyssa Upson (Whitesboro)
04 10 D Maddy Tiddick (Owego)
06 12 M Sarah Christensen (Iroquois)
09 12 M Carly Jung (Goshen)
10 12 M Samantha Ahfeld (Massena)
11 12 A Nikki Beirne (Comsewogue)
11 11 D Gabby Martino (Islip)

CLASS B
NYSSCOGS State Player of the Year: Becky Kaplan (Oyster Bay-8)
NYSSCOGS State Coach of the Year: Owen Scully (Briarcliff-1)
1st team
01 12 A Amy Marron (Westlake)
01 12 G Kate Crenson (North Salem)
01 12 D Amy Wagner (Briarcliff)
02 12 D Kat Kulzer (Tamarac)
02 11 A Ashley Wilson (Ravena)
03 12 M Sarah Holden (Marcellus)
03 12 M Rachel Farneti (Marcellus)
04 11 A Rachael Palladino (Lansing)
05 12 D Jessica Butterbrodt (Livonia)
08 12 AM Becky Kaplan (Oyster Bay)
11 11 A Breanne Ingargiola (Bayport-Blue Point)
2nd team
01 12 M Kelly Fanshawe (Nanuet)
01 10 D Kate Underwood (Briarcliff)
02 11 A Kylie Watt (Ichabod Crane)
02 12 A Jessica Strang (Schalmont)
03 12 A Deana Melnyczuk (Marcellus)
03 12 G Lauren Fletcher (Marcellus)
04 12 D Holly Mazursky (Chenango Forks)
05 12 D Katie Mauro (Hornell)
05 12 A Reily Condidorio (LeRoy)
09 12 M Danielle Weimer (Burke)
11 11 M Demi Mello (Mattituck)
3rd team
02 12 M Mary Donohoe (Ichabod Crane)
02 12 M Sarah Lonergan (Tamarac)
04 12 M Stephanie Hoffman (Chenango Valley)
04 10 A Taylor Mazursky (Chenango Forks)
05 12 A Jessica Smith (Byron-Bergen)
05 12 D Jen Wilkens (Greece Odyssey)
06 12 G Kerri Ketchum (Fredonia)
07 12 AM Lindsey Keyser (Ausable Valley)
08 11 D Molly Bruh (Wheatley)
09 12 D Shannon Gough (Burke)
11 12 D Katie Cerverizzo (Center Moriches)
4th team
02 12 G Tiffany McCall (Schuylerville)
03 11 M Kassie Kleine (Cazenovia)
04 10 G M.C. Barrett (Lansing)
04 12 M Renee Keville (Susquehanna Valley)
05 12 M Kaitlin Moran (Livonia)
06 12 A Skylar Carlson (Falconer)
09 12 A Marin McDermott (Red Hook)
09 11 A Christie Morano (Highland)
10 11 MD Kaila Maguire (Potsdam)
11 12 M Jessica Golden (Southold-Greenport)
11 11 M Julia Martin (Bayport-Blue Point)

CLASS C
NYSSCOGS State Player of the Year: Bri Smith (Nichols-CHS)
NYSSCOGS State Coach of the Year: Joe DiMattina (Florida-9)
1st team
02 12 A Kelly Murphy (Mechanicville)
02 12 M Sarah Delurey (Hoosick Falls)
02 12 A Ashley Gallt (Mayfield)
02 12 D Annie Mullen (Hoosick Falls)
03 11 A Dana Reina (Utica Notre Dame)
05 12 D Jessica Jones (Caledonia-Mumford)
05 12 D Nichole Clark (Marion) C
10 F Bri Smith (Nichols)C
11 G Adele Jackson-Gibson (Nichols)
09 12 A Michelle Duggan (Florida)
10 12 A Jenn Curley (Madrid-Waddington)
2nd team
01 12 A Kate Gilberson (Valhalla)
02 10 M Amanda Hathaway (Stillwater)
02 12 M Kaitlyn Dano (Schoharie)
03 11 M Rebecca Gregory (Manlius Pebble Hill)
03 11 A Shacarah Henry (Tully)
04 11 A Kristen Cleveland (Candor)
05 12 M Gabriella Palacio (Harley-Allendale-Columbia)
05 12 D Brittany Cope (York)
05 12 G Nikki Kingston (Geneseo)
10 12 M Brittany Crump (St. Lawrence)
11 11 M Karina Scavo (Stony Brook)
3rd team
02 11 G Lisa Bates (Galway)
02 12 M Lexi Williams (Mechanicville)
02 11 M Carley Pine (Hoosick Falls)
02 11 A Megan Rozumulski (Middleburgh)
03 12 A Makeda McGowan (Manlius Pebble Hill)
03 12 A Anna Kieler (Cooperstown)
05 12 A Jordan Ingalls (Bolivar-Richburg)
05 12 A Jordan Pringle (Caledonia-Mumford)
05 10 A Jenna Carson (York)
07 10 AM Kayla Rabideau (Northern Adirondack)
10 12 A Cambray Merrick (Madrid-Waddington)
4th team
02 10 D Galina Schreifels (Stillwater)
02 12 G Carley Keefe (Maple Hill)
04 12 M Katie Ahart (Candor)
04 12 A Jessica Lorence (Unadilla Valley)
04 12 M Danielle Gravel (Sidney)
05 12 D Stacey Flint (Alexander)
05 11 A Laura Lanzafame (Bishop Kearney)
06 12 M Shelby Winchester (Maple Grove)
07 11 AM Renee Egan (Plattsburgh Seton)
09 12 D Colleen Trainor (Webutuck)
10 12 A Shelby McGraw (St. Lawrence)

CLASS D
NYSSCOGS State Player of the Year: Nikkia Raso (Lyme-3)
NYSSCOGS State Coach of the Year: Joseph Dumoulin (Chazy-7)
1st team
03 12 M Nikkia Raso (Lyme)
03 12 M Leah Guilmette (Hamilton)
04 10 A Kori Hamm (Edmeston)
04 12 A Stephanie Shellman (Downsville)
05 11 A Alison Richter (Fillmore)
05 12 A Kristen Guenther (Arkport)
05 11 D Katie Wyant (Jasper-Troupsburg)
07 11 M Madelaine Guay (Chazy)
10 12 A Miranda Typhair (Edwards-Knox)
10 11 A Leah Melbeuf (Harrisville)
10 12 G Bridget Teele (Lisbon)
2nd team
03 12 A Terra Towne (Lyme)
04 11 A Chelsea Haight (Davenport)
04 12 A Brenna Campbell (Milford)
05 11 A Ashley Farwell (Scio)
06 12 A Kristina Hallick (Ellicottvillle)
07 10 A Victoria Reynolds (Chazy)
07 12 A Kelsey Gibson (Elizabethtown-Lewis)
09 12 G Kasse Brock (Roscoe)
10 11 D Krista Paro (Harrisville)
11 11 D Taylor Mims (Smithtown Christian) A
11 M Jessica Calandra (Staten Island Academy)
3rd team
02 12 M Heather Nelson (Northville)
02 12 M Jane Gavrity (New Lebanon)
03 11 D Lucy Campbell (Hamilton)
03 10 A Nicole Law (McGraw)
04 12 A Maria Arnot (Milford)
04 12 M Amanda Dockstader (Edmeston)
05 09 A Stephany Elison (Whitesville)
06 12 A Stacey Hornberger (North Collins)
07 11 D Brigid Daul (Chazy)
07 12 G Kathryn Olds (Chazy)
09 12 A Valentina Babich (Livingston Manor)