SouthtownStar All-Area team long on talent

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They are midfielders, but never middling; stoppers who don’t stop; strikers who never stop working; irresistible forces at forward; immovable objects in goal. They are the members of the 2008 Fire/SouthtownStar All-Area Boys Soccer Team.

Mostafa Abdelrahman, Oak Lawn, Senior

A catalyst from the moment he joined the team last season, Abdelrahman helped lead the Spartans to their best record in years with his play at forward. “I knew he’d help our scoring potential, but he plays and practices with such a love of the game that it becomes infectious,” head coach Kevin Stow said. Abdelrahman, who grew up in Jordan, scored 29 goals and added four assists in garnering SSC Red MVP honors.

Antonio Aguilar, Mount Carmel, Senior

The center midfielder who made the Caravan go, Aguilar scored 32 goals and set up 22 more. “He was a horse this year, the engine of the team,” head coach Adrian Calleros said. Fittingly, Aguilar received more recommendations from area coaches than any other midfielder. A three-time All-Catholic League first-teamer.

Nick Bender, Marian Catholic, Senior

Bender’s selection to the All-Windy City Classic team started the midfielder’s year on a high note, and it got better when he was switched to forward. He scored six goals and added three assists. “If we got the ball to him, we had a chance, and he proved it against Lincoln-Way Central,” head coach Nasser Shahtaji said.

Ryan Butler, Andrew, Senior

A two-time SouthtownStar All-Area choice on defense, Butler was a co-captain for the Thunderbolts this year, and moved up to score five goals while adding six assists. He also made the SWSC Red all-conference team.

Andrew Deitch, Rich East, Senior

The stopper for Rich East, Deitch was a four-year starter on the Rockets’ varsity. In his defensive spot, he collected only two assists, but impressed enough to made the SICA all-conference squad.

Alonso Flores, Bloom, Senior

The SouthtownStar’s Player of the Year was the offensive sensation of the state, scoring 49 goals — tying for 17th best in IHSA history — and adding nine assists in 24 games. “A phenomenal athlete with tremendous drive,” Blazing Trojans head coach Kelly Gutierrez said of her star striker. Flores earned two-time All-Area honors along with back-to-back all-state nominations.

Phil Galounis, Lincoln-Way Central, Senior

A three-time All-Area selection, Galounis capped a fine career with a third straight SWSC Red all-conference berth. Keeping on the theme of threes, among his season highlights was a three-goal performance in a rout of Bradley. The midfielder will announce his Division I choice (expected to be either Illinois-Chicago, Ohio State or Notre Dame) today.

Mick Goulding, Bremen, Senior

The SSC Blue all-conference goalkeeper his teammates call “the Animal” posted 11 shutouts in leading the Braves to their first supersectional. Compiled a 0.80 goals-against average and 19-4-2 record. “He’s very aggressive,” head coach Steve Granat said of Goulding, a three-year starter who scored 32 career shutouts. In the spring, he’ll be pitching for the Braves, and could go to college on a two-sport scholarship.

Mike Greco, Sandburg, Senior

As comfortable on defense as he was at midfield, Greco was the glue that kept Sandburg together this season. “If I had 11 Mike Grecos, our record would be 22-0,” Eagles head coach Jack Ferraro said senior, a two-year SWSC Blue all-conference selection. He had two goals this season, his second in the back after starting his career at midfield.

Brendan Healy, Brother Rice, Senior

Healy, who played both the stopper and sweeper roles on defense for Brother Rice, was a big part of the Crusaders’ surge to the Class 3A sectional final. A former forward, he even managed four goals and three assists from the back. “He has great skills, and has the size to play back there. The ball doesn’t get past him,” Rice head coach Nick Markulin said.

Eppokrates Litos, Morgan Park Academy, Junior

A three-time all-conference selection in the Independent School League, Litos powered home 34 goals in 20 games this season, helping the Chargers advance to the Class 1A sectional final.

Esgardo Marquez, Argo, Senior

A four-year starter, the midfielder piled up 11 goals and added 10 assists for the Argonauts this year. “He didn’t want to be all-conference (in the SSC Red) because we didn’t win,” Argo head coach John Gaytan said. “He was the heart of the team.” Marquez was a two-time SouthtownStar and section selection, and a three-year conference pick.

Ray Martinez, Oak Lawn, Senior

A superb passer, Martinez earned SSC Red all-conference honors for his play at midfield. Martinez scored 17 goals to go with eight assists. “A fierce competitor, the team’s MVP since he’s been on the varsity, which is three years,” said Oak Lawn head coach Kevin Stow. Martinez also won all-conference plaudits in football as a placekicker.

Rob McGowan, Lincoln-Way East, Senior

A steady midfielder who garnered both SWSC Red all-conference and all-section honors this year, McGowan contributed 11 goals and 10 assists to the Griffins’ cause. McGowan was a SouthtownStar honorable mention in 2007.

Bob Novak, Lockport, Senior

A two-time All-Area forward, Lockport Township’s all-time scoring leader (40 goals, 43 assists) had 10 goals and 11 assists this season. Honors for the Notre Dame-bound senior this year include all-state, all-section and SWSC Blue all-conference selections.

Carlos Posada, Crete-Monee, Freshman

Posada made an instant impression, and is the first freshman to be selected to a SouthtownStar All-Area soccer team. At 5-foot-5 and 135 pounds, the forward wasn’t physically imposing, but scored 20 goals and set up a dozen more scores. “He breaks through guys twice his size,” Warriors head coach Rob Erbach said. “He’s our main offensive threat.”

Matt Ribbens, Andrew, Senior

Ribbens was a four-year starter for the Thunderbolts, scoring 13 goals this season and 34 for his career. He also earned SWSC Red all-conference and all-section honors each of the last two years.

Matt Salasky, Marian Catholic, Senior

A midfielder at the start of the season, Salasky was moved to sweeper when Marian Catholic had only two wins. The Spartans finished with eight. “We realized we needed somebody to organize the team,” head coach Nassar Shahtaji said. Salasky earned all-East Suburban Catholic honors while scoring two goals on forays to the front.

Tom Serratore, Andrew, Junior

Ten shutouts and a 13-5 record punctuated Serratore’s senior season in Andrew’s goal. He allowed only 28 goals across two seasons in earning a second straight SWSC Red all-conference selection, plus a second consecutive all-section honorable mention.

Kyle Spoo, Lemont, Senior

Spoo’s 17 goals and nine assists went a long way toward helping the Indians to the Class 2A sectional final. “His size, technical ability and vision make him an excellent target player,” Lemont head coach Rick Prangen said. “Inside the penalty box, he’s a very good finisher with either his foot or his head.” That was true of the forward through his prep career, which finishes with 49 goals and 23 assists.

Josh Techiera, Bremen, Senior

Attitude adjustment added up to a spectacular senior season for Bremen’s savvy striker. “He’s done a complete 180 this year,” Bremen head coach Steve Granat said. “Last year, his attitude and confidence level wasn’t there. This year, the kids voted him captain.” Techiera scored 34 goals and added 11 assists, earning SSC Blue MVP honors as well as all-state recognition in leading the Braves to a supersectional berth.

Alex Terzich, Marist, Senior

“Alex had two goals and three assists, but really controlled our midfield,” RedHawks head coach Sean Maxwell said of his stopper. Ignored at the East Suburban Catholic Conference ballot box, the 5-foot-9, 160 pound Terzich was a popular choice among area coaches.

Milan Tica, Morgan Park Academy, Senior

Tica, a defender voted Independent School League MVP, was the heart and soul of the Warriors. The sweeper moved forward often enough to be a scoring threat, and collected the only goal in MPA’s sectional final defeat. The two-time all-stater will play at Yale next year.

John Williams, Rich South, Junior

The bright spot for the Stars was Williams, a striker who grew up playing soccer in Ghana but played football at Rich South his first two years. Marked closely every game, he still scored 23 of their 28 goals, and assisted on two of the other five. “It’s startling to realize he is also one of the fastest players on the field,” head coach Mike Curran said of the 6-foot, 182-pounder. The junior picked up SICA all-conference honors and honorable mention in his IHSSCA section.