Landmark Announces Men's Soccer Awards
TOWSON, Md. – At the conclusion of the regular season, the Landmark men's soccer coaches voted and selected Susquehanna's Andrew Murphy the Offensive Player of the Year. Catholic's Ben Fernandez was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year.
Murphy came out firing in his senior season after missing most of 2012 due to injury. He scored nine goals and added two assists during the regular season. Murphy tied for the league-high in conference goals with four, three of them game-winners.
On the other side of the ball, Fernandez anchors the Cardinals' backline from his center back position. He helped Catholic secure the No. 1 seed in the Landmark tournament while allowing a conference-low four goals in the seven Landmark games. The team has posted nine shutouts including four conference games.
Both players were also named First Team All-Landmark for the first time in their careers. Moravian's Jeffrey Algor also collected First Team honors for the first time after earning Second Team honors a year ago. A defender last year, Algor returned to forward and has led the conference in scoring with 13 goals and two assists. USMMA's Dan Weldon joins Murphy and Algor as the third forward on the First Team. Weldon came through for the Academy with six goals and two assists in his sophomore campaign, including game-winners in overtime against Susquehanna and Drew.
The First Team midfielders are full of familiar faces including last year's Offensive Player of the Year, Bill McGuiness from Scranton. A three-time First Team selection, McGuiness served as the focal point of the Scranton attack and scored seven goals with two assists this season. Early in the season, he scored in five straight games with three game-winning goals. Catholic's Kevin Romano is another three-time First Team honoree. The senior moved to the flank position this season after anchoring the back line in 2012 and earning Landmark Defensive Player of the Year honors. Romano scored four goals and added three assists this season on the way to earning First Team recognition.
Romano's teammate, Hunter Horvath, has earned First Team honors for the second consecutive year. He is a strong central midfielder who has demonstrated great distribution while adding eight points this season. Susquehanna's David Trank led the Landmark in assists this season with eight. He tallied four during conference play to earn First Team honors for the second year in a row. A Second Team selection in 2012, Drew's Ricardo Castro came up big in Landmark games this season to earn First Team honors. He finished the regular season with 18 points including four goals and two assists in conference play.
The First Team defense features Fernandez along with Susquehanna's Patrick Fry and Drew's Michael Pezzuti. Fry was a First Team All-Landmark forward last season, but moved to center back this season and helped hold Landmark opponents to just five goals. Pezzuti played every minute for the Rangers this season and was a crucial part of Drew's back line. He added two goals and two assists.
USMMA goalkeeper Gary Poulin had another outstanding year between the pipes. A 2011 All-Landmark First Team selection, Poulin missed the 2012 season, but came back to earn a 1.21 goals against average and .782 save percentage. He posted five shutouts for the Mariners.
Scranton's Michael Bergen was chosen as the Landmark Rookie of the Year. The freshman outside midfielder was a dangerous player in the attack. He tallied eight points this season, seven in Landmark action. He racked up two assists against Moravian and scored his first career goal as the Royals twice rallied from one-goal deficits for a 2-2 tie at Drew.
Dan Dubois, head coach of the Juniata Eagles, has been named the Landmark Coach of the Year. The Eagles, slated to finish sixth by the preseason poll, had a historic season, winning a program best 13 matches. Juniata qualified for the Landmark tournament for the first time and upset top-seeded Catholic to advance to the championship and finish as runner-up.
Listed below are the 2013 All-Landmark Men's Soccer Teams.
The 2013 Landmark Men's Soccer All-Conference Teams:
| First Team |
|
Second Team |
| Forward |
|
|
|
|
Forward |
|
|
|
Jeffrey Algor
|
Moravian
|
Sr. |
Spring Lake Hts, N.J. |
|
Dane Azeles
|
Juniata |
Sr.
|
Duncansville, Pa. |
Andrew Murphy
|
Susquehanna |
Sr. |
Natick, Mass. |
|
Kevin Kozic
|
Scranton |
Jr.
|
Raritan, N.J. |
Dan Weldon
|
USMMA
|
So.
|
Holland Twp, N.J. |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Midfield |
|
|
|
| Midfield |
|
|
|
|
Kyle Arestivo
|
USMMA
|
Jr. |
Northport, N.Y.
|
Ricardo Castro
|
Drew |
Sr.
|
Mexicali, Mexico |
|
Robby Higgins
|
Juniata
|
Jr. |
Middletown, Pa.
|
Hunter Horvath*
|
Catholic |
Jr.
|
Southlake, Texas |
|
Colin McFadden*
|
Scranton |
Sr.
|
Ventnor City, N.J. |
Bill McGuiness*^
|
Scranton |
Gr. |
Forty Fort, Pa.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin Romano*^
|
Catholic
|
Sr.
|
Freehold, N.J. |
|
Defense |
|
|
|
David Trank*
|
Susquehanna |
Jr.
|
Mendham, N.J. |
|
Ethan Daponte |
Catholic
|
Sr. |
Bristol, R.I.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Stephen Kilty* |
Scranton
|
Sr. |
Downingtown, Pa.
|
| Defense |
|
|
|
|
Joe Taylor
|
Catholic
|
Jr.
|
Eldersburg, Md. |
Ben Fernandez
|
Catholic
|
Sr.
|
Bethesda, Md. |
|
Nick Weit
|
Juniata |
Jr.
|
Lititz, Pa. |
Patrick Fry*
|
Susquehanna |
Sr.
|
Denver, Colo. |
|
|
|
|
|
Michael Pezzuti
|
Drew |
Jr.
|
Fairfield, N.J. |
|
Goalkeeper |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Torsten Meuschke
|
Catholic |
Jr.
|
Gaithersburg, Md. |
| Goalkeeper |
|
|
|
|
Michael Reyes |
Drew
|
Jr. |
Delran, N.J.
|
Gary Poulin^
|
USMMA |
Sr. |
Hauppauge, N.Y. |
|
Matt Salsman |
Susquehanna
|
Sr.
|
Selinsgrove, Pa.
|
* 2012 First Team All-Landmark
^ 2011 First Team All-Landmark