All-Star week at the center

At the end of every sports season, the volunteer coaches for the youth sports leagues select the “top” players from each of the teams. These handpicked players meet up in the season’s traditional all-star game for a little bit of fun competition.

What makes a top youth soccer player at the Center? To many coaches, such as myself, it is not necessarily the player who has the best footwork and can dominate the ball. It may not be the keeper that saved the most goals or the defender that stopped the striker time and time again. The top player is not even necessarily the player who scored the most goals.

When looking at a team roster, soccer skills, improvement in the game, good sportsmanship, strong character, coachability, respect for the coaches, and team spirit can be considered the attributes that make a true all-star. The individuals that comprised the four all-star teams for this year’s Center soccer leagues exemplify the all-star spirit.

The eight-to 10-year old all-star game Friday night showed by each of the 13 players were chosen to play in the annual game. The game started with strong play by Kendall Johnston and Marley Culhane for the White Team. Jack Mattick proved to be a worthy opponent for the Blue Team.

In goal, Nicholas Yatros started for the Blue Team. Anthony Nguyen defended the White Team goal.

The game was a defensive battle. The Blue Team’s Frankie Coleman dribbled the ball all the way down the field with great confidence. Coleman’s shot on goal was blocked by Nguyen, denying the Blue Team of its first goal.

Max Higgins held the field for the White Team, while Gregory Jordan was strong offensively. Putting the first point on the board for the Blue Team, Eric McDonald took a shot on Nguyen and rebounded his own deflected shot for the goal.

With the score 1-0, Juliet Greene took over in the Blue Team goal and Josie Alderson protected the White Team goal. The White Team continued to fight both on offense and defense. Nearing the end of the first half of play, Nguyen struck hard and found the goal to tie the score 1-1.

To start the game’s second half, Mattick played keeper for the Blue Team. The White Team’s Aiden Templeton put on the pinny and protected the goal.

Just a minute-thirty into the second half, McDonald scored his second goal of the game taking the score to 2-1 for the Blue Team. Minutes later, brother Brad McDonald found the goal, scoring after skillfully taking the ball down the pitch and striking when goalie Templeton committed to defending the right side of the goal.

After a goalie change, the Blue Team’s Kiera Johnston scored a goal against Higgins widening the gap in the score to 4-1. In a last effort to score again, Nguyen gave field support to Templeton who stuck hard against B. McDonald in the goal for the Blue Team. Down to the final seconds of the game the White Team played hard, but the clock ticked to the 20th minute, ending the first All-Star game of the night with the Blue Team the winners.

The 11-to 13-year old All-Star game saw Thomas Heckler and Chris Snyder playing goalie for the Blue Team and Adam Carlson in the goal for the White Team. Scoring for the Blue Team was Dalton Guthrie and Anthony Monetti each with two goals. The White Team scorers were German Rivera, Sam Waterman, and Tyler Brewer scoring two goals.

In the second all-star game, Riley Baugh and Daniel Sentman provided wonderful defensive support for the White Team. Supporting the Blue Team, Francesco Manino and Gavin Johnston both played strong defense and assisted in the team’s effort offensively.

The game ended in regulation time with a score of 4-4 taking the players to a shoot out. Snyder defended the net for the Blue Team and Carlson continued to protect the White Team’s goal. After a champion’s effort by all, the Blue Team sealed the all-star victory for the older age group.

The Sun Scoreboard

Monday, November 2

6-to 7-Year Old Soccer

Beach Bums 1
Bark & Company 5

11-to 13-Year Old Soccer

Semi-Finals

Progressive Cabinetry 3
Wash Family Construction 1

Tyler’s Ice Cream 5
Sugar Beach Digital 5
(winner in shoot out)

Tuesday, November 3

Adult Basketball

Gator Squad 63 (5-1)
Miller Electric 54 (0-6)

LaPensee Plumbing and Pools 56 (5-1)
West Coast A/C and Heating 51 (2-4)

Wednesday, November 4

6-to 7-Year Old Soccer

Signarama 5
Beach Bums 2

8-to 10-Year Old Soccer

Semi-Finals

The Feast 2
West Coast A/C and Heating 1

Thursday, November 5

Adult Soccer

Ross Built Construction 1 (3-3)
Progressive Cabinetry 8 (3-2-1)

Island Pest Control 8 (5-1)
Mason Martin 4 (2-3-1)

Island Time 3 (0-5-1)
Sato Real Estate 3 (5-0-1)

Slim’s Place 3 (3-3)
Beach to Bay 4 (1-5)

Friday, November 6

8-to 10-Year Old Soccer
ALL-STAR GAME

Blue Team 4
White Team 1

11-to 13-Year Old Soccer

ALL-STAR GAME

White Team 4
Blue Team (winner in shoot out) 4