Three Waupaca boys’ soccer players earned all-conference recognition from the Eastern Valley Conference.
Senior midfielder Jake Overman was named to the first team, senior defenseman Dan Vandiver made the second team and senior midfielder Stewart Miller made the third team.
Overman was a team captain and earned his third varsity letter this season, coach Mark Polebitski said.
“His relentless effort in the game was a catalyst for the rest of the team,” he said. “There were times where I thought Jake had no chance of winning the ball. The next thing you know is Jake in possession of the ball and making a play. He never gives up on the ball.
“In the off-season, Jake was focused at improving his touch and technique,” he said. “Being involved in the Soccer Olympic Development Program helped Jake reach the next level of soccer. Jake plans to play soccer next fall at college.”
Vandiver was named the team’s defensive player of the year.
“Dan played central defender and really came on this year,” Polebitski said. “He was the leader of the defense. We could always hear Dan directing the backs in his positive and booming voice. He is one of the most encouraging player I have every coached, always pumping up his teammates.”
Miller played outside midfielder for the Comets.
“From that position, Stewart moved the ball from the wing, to the corner and made countless plays back to the middle setting up scoring opportunities,” Polebitski said. “I first met Stewart as an eighth-grader as his coach for Waupaca Kickers summer soccer. His improvement from that time to his senior year is a tribute to his work ethic.”
? Another player from Waupaca, Fox Valley Lutheran senior Ben Nommensen, also made the first team.
Eastern Valley
Conference 2010
All-Conference
Boys’ Soccer Teams
First Team
Trent Allison*, senior, Fox Valley Lutheran; Dillon O’Brien*, senior, Appleton Xavier; Tyler Burton*, senior, Appleton Xavier; Ben Nommensen, senior, Fox Valley Lutheran; Paul Stuebs, senior, Fox Valley Lutheran; Teffie Joyce, junior, Fox Valley Lutheran; Jake Overman, senior, Waupaca; Nathaniel Miller, senior, Winneconne; Steven Davies, senior, Clintonville; Kevin Hernandez, senior, Ripon; B.J. Kaiser, senior, Fox Valley Lutheran.
Second Team
Juan Hernandez, junior, Clintonville; Pang Chun, senior, Fox Valley Lutheran; Steve Nickols, junior, Little Chute; Ryan Garner, senior, Winneconne; Seth Maretz, sophomore, Appleton Xavier; Drew Allison, junior, Fox Valley Lutheran; Jake VanHecke, sophomore, Freedom; Tyler Coenen, sophomore, Little Chute; Devin Baldwin, senior, Winneconne; John Moore, senior, Appleton Xavier; Wade Osterberg, senior, Freedom; Dan Vandiver, senior, Waupaca; Ryan Burton, sophomore, Appleton Xavier.
Third Team
Greg Stellmacher, senior, Berlin; Tanner Rauen, junior, Fox Valley Lutheran; Dominic Masiarchin, junior, Clintonville; Stewart Miller, senior, Waupaca; Joe Ulbrich, senior, Winneconne; Erick George, senior, Clintonville; Marshall Gendbon, senior, Winneconne; Michael Stoeger, junior, Appleton Xavier; Eric Gonnering, senior, Freedom; Ron Badtke, senior, Ripon; Josh LaMarche, senior, Winneconne.
Honorable Mention
Jake Sedarski, senior, Berlin; Austin Miller, senior, Berlin; Connor Gehrke, sophomore, Clintonville; Ben Luitjens, sophomore, Little Chute; Irvin Hernandez, sophomore, Ripon; Andrew Yazbak, junior, Appleton Xavier.
Offensive player of the year: Trent Allison, Fox Valley Lutheran.
Defensive player of the year: Tyler Burton, Appleton Xavier.
* – Denotes unanimous selection.