BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - Chicago Fire Soccer announced today its Seventh Annual Boys High School Soccer All-State All-Academic Teams. This year's top All-Academic team of 23 student-athletes will be honored at the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State Banquet, being held tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. CT at the Diplomat West, located at 681 W. North Ave. in Elmhurst, IL. Registration at this year's event begins at 5:00 p.m. CT. This fall the Fire recognizes 124 players on its All-Academic, Special Mention and Honorable Mention Teams, with representatives from 63 schools across the state of Illinois earning distinction for their work on the soccer field, in the classroom and in their respective communities.
Chicago Fire Soccer will recognize the Boys 2006 All-State All-Academic Team inside the home of the "Men in Red," TOYOTA PARK, at halftime of a Fire match during the 2007 MLS season. Each of the 23 recognized First-Team student-athletes will receive a complimentary ticket to the Major League Soccer contest and will have the chance to purchase additional tickets for family and friends at a discounted price. Special Mention and Honorable Mention Team members will also be recognized and will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for family and friends at the discounted price.
Out of 124 scholar-athletes named, 44 nominee scholar athletes scored a 30 or higher on their ACT, while 36 nominees also coach soccer at some level. Fifty-one nominees are involved in refereeing soccer, while seven nominees are ranked #1 in their class. In addition, one member of the Chicago Fire Juniors, Duke Shelley (CFJ U18, Neuqua Valley H.S.) was honored on this year's Special Mention team. Freeport High School topped the list of schools with seven overall nominees, while two other schools - Grayslake High School and Port Byron Riverdale High School - had six players selected to the list. Buffalo Grove High School, Charleston High School and St. Ignatius High School each had five nominees, while Minooka Community High School, Plainfield South High School and Wheaton Warrenville South High School each had four.
"The Chicago Fire Soccer organization is very proud to recognize this tremendous group of student athletes for their leadership in academics as well as their contributions to community and the sport of soccer," said Fire Director of Community Relations Donald Ortale. "We remain grateful to the IHSSCA for the opportunity to recognize the 2006 Chicago Fire High School Boys All-Academic team at the upcoming awards banquet."
High School soccer coaches from throughout the state of Illinois were asked to nominate senior student athletes with at least a "B" grade point average that have contributed to their high school soccer program for at least three years and must be involved in at least two other school or community activities or sports.
Chicago Fire Soccer would like to thank the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches association for their help in promoting this great honor. The 2006 All-State All-Academic honorees are as follows:
2006 Boys All-Academic Team
Goalkeepers (2): Adam Eaker (Moline H.S.), Matt Stieve (Maine West H.S.).
Defenders (8): Jeff Abney (Romeoville H.S.), James Choca (Latin School of Chicago), William Colletti (DeLaSalle Institute), Richard Kesler (Freeport H.S.), Matthew Liesen (Marian Catholic H.S.), James McKillen (Barrington H.S.), Jonathan Ryherd (Decatur Lutheran H.S.), Gian Thomas Wrobel (St. Ignatius H.S.).
Midfielders (8): Kyle Isabelli (Joliet West H.S.), Andy Janik (St. Rita H.S.), Bryan Lamb (Lake Park H.S.), Giancarlo Narcisi (Bloom Township H.S.), Brock Pollmann (Mascoutah Community H.S.), Christopher Siegler (Somonauk H.S.), Alex Wallach (Fenwick H.S.), Tyler Wright (Hinsdale Central H.S.).
Forwards (5): Latif Alam (Lake Forest H.S.), Joel Balentyne (Sycamore H.S.), Mick Grunert (Libertyville H.S.), Jered Hartman (Freeport H.S.), Ryan Neumann (Marist H.S.).
2006 Boys Special Mention
Goalkeepers (3): Gabe Attanasio (Bloom Township H.S.), John Quandt (Port Bryon Riverdale H.S.), John Supica (Neuqua Valley H.S.).
Defenders (18): William Barbanera (Grayslake Central H.S.), Dan Barsan (Reavis H.S.), Brandon Bocianski (Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.), Evan Boyle (St. Ignatius H.S.), Jonathan Burns (Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.), Andy King (St. Charles East H.S.), Ryan Michols (Glenbrook South H.S.), Jimmy Ouska (Buffalo Grove H.S.), John Prieboy (Plainfield South H.S.), Zachary Richardson (Freeport H.S.), Alex Ruff (Downers Grove North H.S.), Duke Shelley (Neuqua Valley H.S.), Cody Stanley (Mount Carmel H.S.), Mark Steffen (Moline H.S.), Nick Stone (Zion Benton H.S.), Tom Vangrinsteen (St. Ignatius H.S.), Matt Weiss (Lockport H.S.), Jonathan Zinkel (Lockport H.S.).
Midfielders (16): Chris Bartucci (St. Ignatius H.S.), Robert Bosco (Maine South H.S.), Nick Coleman (Buffalo Grove H.S.), Nick Coulson (Glenbrook South H.S.), Jakub Dolecki (Lane Tech H.S.), Michael Hagstrom (Carl Sandburg H.S.), Kevin Hanstad (Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.), Justin Hefter (Highland Park H.S.), Nick Janssen (Roanoke-Benson H.S.), Greg Klazura (Rockford Boylan Central Catholic H.S.), Kyle Luetkehans (Lyons Township H.S.), Greg Maggio (Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.), Tim O'Connor (John Hersey H.S.), Dan Slubowski (Marist H.S.), Michael Steinert (Andrew H.S.), Nick Szwedo (O'Fallon Township H.S.).
Forwards (8): Michael Belmont (Urbana University High), Robert Czupryna (St. Patricks H.S.), Mark Gniadek (Amos Alonzo Stagg H.S.), Steve Godawa (Buffalo Grove H.S.), Luke Moderwell (Libertyville H.S.), Brandon Norton (Joliet Central H.S.), Jeyser Perez (Walter Payton College Prep H.S.), Todd Sluder (Washington Community H.S.).
2006 Boys Honorable Mention
Greg Alban (Downers Grove South H.S.), Andrew Altman (Rockford Boylan Central Catholic H.S.), Sadegh Milad Asefi (Port Byron Riverdale H.S.), Zack Bearden (Buffalo Grove H.S.), Patrick Bowen (Charleston H.S.), Tanner Brasel (Port Byron Riverdale H.S.), Mitch Buffington (O'Fallon Township H.S.), Daniel Calleja (Decatur Lutheran H.S.), Mark Carnaham (Minooka Community H.S.), William Coulton (Charleston H.S.), Sean Dunleavy (Lockport H.S.), Mike Fanelli (Buffalo Grove H.S.), Brad Fansher (John Hersey H.S.), Brian Gierman (John Hersey H.S.), Blair Gordon (Lake Forest Academy), Taylor Gray (Plainfield South H.S.), Jeff Hiltrop (Rockford Boylan Central Catholic H.S.), Colin Hutchins (Grayslake Central H.S.), Ross Hutchinson (Charleston H.S.), Vince Jankiewicz (Freeport H.S.), Stephen Kadamian (Rockton Hononegah H.S.), Brad Kean (Barrington H.S.), Brett Kessler (Port Byron Riverdale H.S.), Thomas Kosicek (Plainfield South H.S.), Josh Kyle (Bartonville Limestone H.S.), Chris Liley (East Alton-Wood River H.S.), Andy Luther (Westminster Christian H.S.), Tom Marsden (Grayslake Central H.S.), Mitch McMeen (Streator H.S.), Christian McNeely (Jacksonville H.S.), Shane Merriman (Waubonsie Valley H.S.), Jess Merry (Freeport H.S.), John Nelson (Charleston H.S.), Jordan Nelson (Port Byron Riverdale H.S.), Ryan O'Connor (Grayslake Central H.S.), Tim O'Malley (St. Rita H.S.), Jordan Parcel (Minooka Community H.S.), Mike Patel (Downers Grove South H.S.), Daniel Payan (Joliet West H.S.), Anthony Paynic (East Alton-Wood River H.S.), Max Phillips (Mount Prospect H.S.), Nolan Sandberg (Grayslake Central H.S.), Matthew Sarantopoulos (Mount Prospect H.S.), Tim Schachtschneider (Minooka Community H.S.), Darek Robert Schmitz (Joliet West H.S.), Andy Schultz (Grayslake Central H.S.), Don Serio (Brother Rice H.S.), Gabriel Sey (Minooka Community H.S.), Ed Speth (Carmel H.S.), Athanasios Tabakis (Palatine H.S.), Axel Vesteegh (Port Byron Riverdale H.S.), Brett Vihnanek (Plainfield South H.S.), Brian Waters (Freeport H.S.), Landin Welch (Bloom Township H.S.), Farjad Yousaf (Charleston H.S.).
