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World Cup participants, NFL Pro Bowlers, university hall of famers and other professionals, record-holders and phenoms adorn the following list.
Who's the best boys soccer player in the history of the Volusia-Flagler area? Let's vote.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
First, we are going to take a look at athletes in their individual sports.
Here are the stars of the soccer field. The 17 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standouts at the high school level, and many advanced to the college and/or professional ranks.
Don't see your preferred selection? There's also a write-in option.
Alvarez was one of the area’s elite scorers during his time at Flagler Palm Coast. He racked up 86 career goals, including 44 during his senior year and 27 during his junior campaign. He added 12 and 22 assists during those seasons. Alvarez grabbed the 2009 News-Journal Player of the Year award and signed with Embry-Riddle.
A Milan, Italy, native, Bertele was the first goalkeeper to earn Volusia-Flagler Player of the Year, bagging the accolade in 2010. That season, the junior recorded eight shutouts and a 0.45 goals-against average for Seabreeze. He headed to North Florida in 2011 and eventually transferred to Coastal Carolina, where he solidified second-team recognition in the Big South Conference.
Cianciarulo debuted with a freshman campaign at Father Lopez before spending his final three years of high school ball at DeLand. As a senior in 2003-04, he dropped 40 goals and 15 assists, closing his career with 78 goals and 52 assists. He also secured the local Player of the Year award in 2004. Cianciarulo signed with Furman. After college, he jumped to the professional level with 15 appearances for the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division.
After two years as a standout at University, DeLeon Jr. transferred to Taylor and really ramped up his numbers. As a junior, the striker broke the school record with 48 goals on his way to the region finals and the 2016 News-Journal Player of the Year prize. Then, as a senior, he smashed his own high mark with 71 goals. DeLeon grew into a second-team junior college All-American at Daytona State, landed at North Florida where he tied for the team lead in goals as a junior, and wrapped up his college career at Colorado State University Pueblo.
Farrell scored — and scored often — for Flagler Palm Coast. He exploded onto the scene as a freshman in 1994-95, blazing to 39 goals. He put up 58 as a senior in 1997-98, earning Volusia-Flagler Player of the Year and snapping the FHSAA scoring record with 198 career goals. And of course, he dented the scoreboard plenty of times in between. Farrell’s success didn’t stop in college, either. He finished his Vermont career third in program history in goals (29) and sixth in assists (14). He was inducted into the university’s athletics hall of fame in 2013.
Feindt’s strength while competing for Spruce Creek was his playmaking, but he could also score from all over the pitch. He used his strong left leg to drill 55 career goals, including 21 as a senior in 2004-05 when he locked down the local Player of the Year plaque. He also tallied 68 career assists, with a high of 32 as a junior. Feindt then joined Stetson after graduation.
Goodman came to Flagler County from Bermuda as a 10-year-old. When he entered high school, Flagler Palm Coast used him primarily on defense before realizing his offensive value. It culminated with the Bulldogs winning a state title during his junior year in 2000 and Goodman following that up with the New-Journal Player of the Year award in 2001. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro took notice and recruited him to its college program.
Hubbs was selected to three straight All-Area teams for Matanzas. Across four varsity seasons, he notched 62 goals and 22 assists. Thirty-two of those scoring strikes came during his junior season in 2016-17, when he helped deliver the Pirates’ first district championship and garnered All-State recognition. He went on to Embry-Riddle. As a senior, he scored his first career goal, a game-winner against Saint Leo.
Yes, you read that name correctly. This is the same Sebastian Jaikowski that won two Lou Groza Awards as the country’s best placekicker at Florida State, went in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft and played 19 seasons with the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. And yes, we’re cheating a little bit with his inclusion because he was born and raised in Poland.
But Janikowski’s one season as a Seabreeze soccer player was too good to ignore. He won the 1997 News-Journal Player of the Year award while establishing a new state record with 73 goals as a 6-foot-3, 230-pound forward.
Johnson proved he was different right away. As a 14-year-old freshman at Flagler Palm Coast, he scored 26 times and chipped in another 18 assists. Midway through his sophomore year, the speedster from Bunnell transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton. A year later, the Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas) chose him 19th overall in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft. Johnson became one of the youngest players to ever sign with an MLS club (16 years old).
He suited up for 14 years as a professional. He played in the MLS, the Premier League and even the 2006 World Cup. When he retired in 2015, he had accumulated 78 goals during his senior career. He also sat eighth all-time on the U.S. men’s national team’s career goals leaderboard with 19.
The Ormond Beach native took the area by storm as a Seabreeze freshman in 2012-13. Despite missing seven games, Koreniuk still scored 23 goals with seven assists in 13 contests. The following summer, he tried out for the Dutch soccer club Vitesse and signed with its academy, skipping his final three years of high school soccer and kickstarting a pro career. In 2019 and 2020, he spent time with Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy and scored a goal. Koreniuk has since appeared for clubs like San Antonio FC and Ventura County FC.
Monsanto was a Flagler Palm Coast captain for two years, including when the Bulldogs went 20-5-1 during his senior year. He made two All-Area first teams, once as a junior for his 13 goals and 13 assists, then again as a senior with 13 goals and 17 assists. He played four seasons for Stetson. After his playing days ended, Monsanto embarked on a coaching career with Stetson and Shark Coast FC, where he is now sporting director and part of the ownership group.
Born in England, O’Sullivan was a four-year contributor for Pine Ridge. After lining up as a midfielder as a freshman, he transitioned to defense for an injury-ravaged squad during his sophomore year, contributing seven goals and four assists. Those totals rose to 12 goals and three assists during his junior winter of 2011-12. O’Sullivan joined Orlando City’s academy and thrived in the college ranks at Eastern Florida State College and Palm Beach Atlantic, where he turned himself into an All-Region first-teamer. He played professionally for multiple years with the Jacksonville Armada, Palm Beach United and South Georgia Tormenta FC.
Perez served as the focal point of Seabreeze’s 2017 state-championship squad. During that season, the Uruguayan-born left winger netted 23 goals, tacked on 35 assists and took home the Volusia-Flagler Player of the Year trophy. As a senior, he followed up with 21 goals and 28 assists before heading off to Daytona State.
Pontes made a quick stop in Deltona. The Brazil native moved to Pennsylvania in 1997, then Volusia County a year later. During his one season at Pine Ridge, the junior forward won local Player of the Year recognition. He posted an area-leading 47 goals and 11 assists while cracking the All-State team. Then, as quickly as he arrived, he migrated to Orlando.
Rios never played organized soccer before high school. But once he started, he thrived. As a junior in 2010-11, he scored 43 goals, including a seven-goal performance against Mainland, as Taylor won a district title. He one-upped himself as a senior, with 47 goals and 20 assists. Rios led the Wildcats to the region finals and claimed the Player of the Year award for his efforts.
Thompson made three All-Area first teams as Seabreeze advanced to three straight state finals and won one in 2017. For the first half of his prep career, he defended the opponents’ top offensive threat. But as a senior during the 2018-19 campaign, he shifted from midfielder to striker and led the area with 30 goals. He added eight assists and claimed the Volusia-Flagler Player of the Year award. Thompson signed with Daytona State.
Who’s the greatest Daytona Beach-area high school boys soccer player of all time?
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Best boys soccer player ever from Volusia-Flagler area? Vote
Continue reading...
Who's the best boys soccer player in the history of the Volusia-Flagler area? Let's vote.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
First, we are going to take a look at athletes in their individual sports.
Here are the stars of the soccer field. The 17 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standouts at the high school level, and many advanced to the college and/or professional ranks.
Don't see your preferred selection? There's also a write-in option.
Jason Alvarez
Alvarez was one of the area’s elite scorers during his time at Flagler Palm Coast. He racked up 86 career goals, including 44 during his senior year and 27 during his junior campaign. He added 12 and 22 assists during those seasons. Alvarez grabbed the 2009 News-Journal Player of the Year award and signed with Embry-Riddle.
Federico Bertele
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A Milan, Italy, native, Bertele was the first goalkeeper to earn Volusia-Flagler Player of the Year, bagging the accolade in 2010. That season, the junior recorded eight shutouts and a 0.45 goals-against average for Seabreeze. He headed to North Florida in 2011 and eventually transferred to Coastal Carolina, where he solidified second-team recognition in the Big South Conference.
Dominic Cianciarulo
Cianciarulo debuted with a freshman campaign at Father Lopez before spending his final three years of high school ball at DeLand. As a senior in 2003-04, he dropped 40 goals and 15 assists, closing his career with 78 goals and 52 assists. He also secured the local Player of the Year award in 2004. Cianciarulo signed with Furman. After college, he jumped to the professional level with 15 appearances for the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division.
Miguel DeLeon
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After two years as a standout at University, DeLeon Jr. transferred to Taylor and really ramped up his numbers. As a junior, the striker broke the school record with 48 goals on his way to the region finals and the 2016 News-Journal Player of the Year prize. Then, as a senior, he smashed his own high mark with 71 goals. DeLeon grew into a second-team junior college All-American at Daytona State, landed at North Florida where he tied for the team lead in goals as a junior, and wrapped up his college career at Colorado State University Pueblo.
Jamie Farrell
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Farrell scored — and scored often — for Flagler Palm Coast. He exploded onto the scene as a freshman in 1994-95, blazing to 39 goals. He put up 58 as a senior in 1997-98, earning Volusia-Flagler Player of the Year and snapping the FHSAA scoring record with 198 career goals. And of course, he dented the scoreboard plenty of times in between. Farrell’s success didn’t stop in college, either. He finished his Vermont career third in program history in goals (29) and sixth in assists (14). He was inducted into the university’s athletics hall of fame in 2013.
Chris Feindt
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Feindt’s strength while competing for Spruce Creek was his playmaking, but he could also score from all over the pitch. He used his strong left leg to drill 55 career goals, including 21 as a senior in 2004-05 when he locked down the local Player of the Year plaque. He also tallied 68 career assists, with a high of 32 as a junior. Feindt then joined Stetson after graduation.
James Goodman
Goodman came to Flagler County from Bermuda as a 10-year-old. When he entered high school, Flagler Palm Coast used him primarily on defense before realizing his offensive value. It culminated with the Bulldogs winning a state title during his junior year in 2000 and Goodman following that up with the New-Journal Player of the Year award in 2001. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro took notice and recruited him to its college program.
Nathan Hubbs
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Hubbs was selected to three straight All-Area teams for Matanzas. Across four varsity seasons, he notched 62 goals and 22 assists. Thirty-two of those scoring strikes came during his junior season in 2016-17, when he helped deliver the Pirates’ first district championship and garnered All-State recognition. He went on to Embry-Riddle. As a senior, he scored his first career goal, a game-winner against Saint Leo.
Sebastian Janikowski
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Yes, you read that name correctly. This is the same Sebastian Jaikowski that won two Lou Groza Awards as the country’s best placekicker at Florida State, went in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft and played 19 seasons with the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. And yes, we’re cheating a little bit with his inclusion because he was born and raised in Poland.
But Janikowski’s one season as a Seabreeze soccer player was too good to ignore. He won the 1997 News-Journal Player of the Year award while establishing a new state record with 73 goals as a 6-foot-3, 230-pound forward.
Eddie Johnson
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Johnson proved he was different right away. As a 14-year-old freshman at Flagler Palm Coast, he scored 26 times and chipped in another 18 assists. Midway through his sophomore year, the speedster from Bunnell transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton. A year later, the Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas) chose him 19th overall in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft. Johnson became one of the youngest players to ever sign with an MLS club (16 years old).
He suited up for 14 years as a professional. He played in the MLS, the Premier League and even the 2006 World Cup. When he retired in 2015, he had accumulated 78 goals during his senior career. He also sat eighth all-time on the U.S. men’s national team’s career goals leaderboard with 19.
Kai Koreniuk
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The Ormond Beach native took the area by storm as a Seabreeze freshman in 2012-13. Despite missing seven games, Koreniuk still scored 23 goals with seven assists in 13 contests. The following summer, he tried out for the Dutch soccer club Vitesse and signed with its academy, skipping his final three years of high school soccer and kickstarting a pro career. In 2019 and 2020, he spent time with Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy and scored a goal. Koreniuk has since appeared for clubs like San Antonio FC and Ventura County FC.
Nathan Monsanto
Monsanto was a Flagler Palm Coast captain for two years, including when the Bulldogs went 20-5-1 during his senior year. He made two All-Area first teams, once as a junior for his 13 goals and 13 assists, then again as a senior with 13 goals and 17 assists. He played four seasons for Stetson. After his playing days ended, Monsanto embarked on a coaching career with Stetson and Shark Coast FC, where he is now sporting director and part of the ownership group.
Michael O’Sullivan
Born in England, O’Sullivan was a four-year contributor for Pine Ridge. After lining up as a midfielder as a freshman, he transitioned to defense for an injury-ravaged squad during his sophomore year, contributing seven goals and four assists. Those totals rose to 12 goals and three assists during his junior winter of 2011-12. O’Sullivan joined Orlando City’s academy and thrived in the college ranks at Eastern Florida State College and Palm Beach Atlantic, where he turned himself into an All-Region first-teamer. He played professionally for multiple years with the Jacksonville Armada, Palm Beach United and South Georgia Tormenta FC.
Franco Perez
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Perez served as the focal point of Seabreeze’s 2017 state-championship squad. During that season, the Uruguayan-born left winger netted 23 goals, tacked on 35 assists and took home the Volusia-Flagler Player of the Year trophy. As a senior, he followed up with 21 goals and 28 assists before heading off to Daytona State.
Daniel Pontes
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Pontes made a quick stop in Deltona. The Brazil native moved to Pennsylvania in 1997, then Volusia County a year later. During his one season at Pine Ridge, the junior forward won local Player of the Year recognition. He posted an area-leading 47 goals and 11 assists while cracking the All-State team. Then, as quickly as he arrived, he migrated to Orlando.
Jose Rios
Rios never played organized soccer before high school. But once he started, he thrived. As a junior in 2010-11, he scored 43 goals, including a seven-goal performance against Mainland, as Taylor won a district title. He one-upped himself as a senior, with 47 goals and 20 assists. Rios led the Wildcats to the region finals and claimed the Player of the Year award for his efforts.
Nate Thompson
Thompson made three All-Area first teams as Seabreeze advanced to three straight state finals and won one in 2017. For the first half of his prep career, he defended the opponents’ top offensive threat. But as a senior during the 2018-19 campaign, he shifted from midfielder to striker and led the area with 30 goals. He added eight assists and claimed the Volusia-Flagler Player of the Year award. Thompson signed with Daytona State.
Who’s the greatest Daytona Beach-area high school boys soccer player of all time?
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Best boys soccer player ever from Volusia-Flagler area? Vote
Continue reading...
