The Little Ten Conference Soccer Coaches met on Wednesday, October 20, to select the 2010 Little Ten All-Conference Soccer Team. Also, the Little Ten Conference Volleyball Coaches met on Monday, November 1, to select the 2010 all-conference volleyball team.
This was the first time in Little Ten soccer history that there was a 3-way tie for the regular season title. Hinckley-Big Rock won the Little Ten Tournament for the ninth time in program history, and the first time since 2003. Earlville-Leland won an IHSA Class 1A Regional for the third straight year. The Red Raiders appeared in an IHSA Sectional game for the fifth straight year (no regional awards given in 2006 and 2007 when E-L advanced to the state tournament).
Listed below are the 16 soccer players recognized, in order of conference finish:
** denotes a unanimous selection
Hinckley-Big Rock (5-1)— Conference Tri-Champs, Conference Tournament Champs
**Tim Engel (Senior, midfielder) - 17 goals, 9 assists; 48 goals, 38 assists for career; Twice a unanimous all-conference selection
**Lee Klein (Senior, midfielder) - key distributor and defender from MF position; Repeat all-conference selection
**Justin Salazar (Senior, keeper) - 11 shutouts, 1.00 GAA; 28 shutouts, 1.07 GAA for career; Repeat all-conference selection
**Billy Weissinger (Sophomore, defender) - Top defender as sweeper; Royals allowed only 8 goals on season with him on field
Somonauk (5-1)— Conference Tri-Champs, 3rd Place Conference Tournament
**Dan Heerhold (Junior, forward/midfielder) - 9 goals, 9 assists; involved in almost 30% of Bobcats scoring on the season
**Colin Stahl (Junior, midfielder) - 1 goal, 5 assists; key in possession and ball control as holding MF
**Ethan Lauritzen (Sophomore, forward/midfielder) - 22 goals, 7 assists; involved in almost 50% of Bobcats scoring on the season
Kyle Hatton (Sophomore, defender) - Top defender as left outside back
Earlville-Leland (5-1)— Conference Tri-Champs, IHSA Class 1A Regional Champs
**Cory Buhler (Senior, keeper) - Allowed only 3 goals in Little Ten regular season play
Chris Collins (Senior, forward) - 9 goals, 9 assists overall; 6 goals, 9 assists in Little Ten play
Javier Hernandez (Junior, midfielder) - 17 goals, 7 assists overall; 9 goals, 6 assists in Little Ten play
Newark (3-3)
**Juan Elizalde (Senior, midfielder) - 11 goals, 7 assists; scored two game-winning goals
Indian Creek (2-4)— Runner-up Conference Tournament
**Matt Kyler (Senior, defender) - 9 goals, 11 assists despite playing most of season on defense; 4-year starter; Repeat unanimous all-conference selection
Tom Kallas (Senior, defender) - 3 goals, 3 assists; 4-year starter; Voted as Timberwolves MVP and Best Defender
Shaquille Crayton (Junior, forward/midfielder) - 14 goals, 4 assists; also played GK for 6 games
Paw Paw (1-5)
**Brandon Safranek (Senior, forward) - 26 goals, 3 assists; Repeat unanimous all-conference selection
Serena (0-6) had no players selected
Listed below are the 12 volleyball players recognized, in order of conference finish:
** denotes a unanimous selection
Newark (8-0)— Conference Champs, Conference Tournament Champs
**Sammi Eddy (Senior, libero) - 83% serving with 43 aces, 94% passing with 418 digs; Three-time unanimous all-conference selection
**Katie Larson (Senior, outside hitter) - 82% serving with 39 aces, .233 hitting efficiency with 237 kills; Repeat unanimous all-conference selection
Miranda Schmidt (Senior, setter/right side) - 83% serving with 59 aces, 372 assists, 98 kills, 30 blocks; Repeat all-conference selection
Ashley Edwards (Junior, outside hitter/middle blocker) - 83% serving with 61 aces, .156 hitting efficiency with 129 kills, 205 digs
Hinckley-Big Rock (7-1)— Runner-Up Conference, Runner-Up Conference Tournament
Sarah Paver (Senior, libero) - 93% serving on 232 attempts, team leader with 292 digs
Kaitlin Phillips (Junior, middle hitter/blocker) - 85% serving on 309 attempts with 66 aces and 180 points, 146 blocks, 167 kills
Indian Creek (6-2)— 3rd Place Conference, 3rd Place Conference Tournament; IHSA Class 1A Regional Champs
**Anna Stiker (Senior, libero) - 92.6% serving on 203 attempts, school record 577 digs
**Cameron Wallace (Senior, outside hitter) - 99.2% serving with 27 aces, 275 digs, 155 kills; Repeat all-conference selection
Serena (4-4)
**Katie Huss (Senior) - All around player: 100 kills, 230 digs, 100 points with 21 aces
Leland-Earlville (4-4)
Morgan Musich (Senior, right side/setter) - 97.7% serving with 36 aces, 147 kills, 251 assists, 167 digs; Repeat all-conference selection
Kaitlyn Rabel (Junior, middle hitter) - 86.9% serving with 48 aces, 219 kills, 81 digs
Somonauk (4-4)
Aleesha Zeko (Junior, outside hitter) - 132 kills, 26 aces, 136 digs
LaMoille (2-6), Hiawatha (1-7), Paw Paw (0-8) had no players selected.
(Publisher's Note: We encourage such submissions of all-conference teams like this one for the Little 10 Conference for contribution to the FYI Blog. If you want to contribute roundups, standings and items of note within a conference, let us know by contacting us at northernillinoissportsbeat at yahoo dot com.)
Source: Little 10 Conference
-Cody
