By The TimesLedger
Tallin Lamonaca Sr. GK Bayside
A four-year player — three as a starter — Lamonaca was instrumental in the Commodores PSAL ‘B’ championship run last year as followed up with an even better performance this year. Lamonaca, a two-year captain who is a leader on and off the field, allowed just seven goals as Bayside captured the Queens A East title and advanced to the PSAL quarterfinals before losing to Taft.
Noe Bautista Sr. Def. Cardozo
Before the start of the season, Cardozo head coach Rich Parascos said the Judges success in 2001 would rely strongly on the team’s seniors. Bautista, a senior defender, more than did his part as thanks to his strength and leadership in the back, Cardozo advanced to the second round of the PSAL playoffs before losing at Madison in a penalty kick shootout.
Alvaro Mosquero Sr. Def. Newtown
Mosquero is simply the heart and soul of the Pioneers defense. The three-year starter is yet another standout in the rich soccer tradition at Newtown. Head coach Howie Ranzer gave a lot of praise to sophomore keeper Francisco Gonzalez, but we feel Mosquero is at much if not more responsible for the team’s seven goals against in 13 games.
Ibardo Zambrano Sr. Def. Newcomers
On a team that has constant turnover, Zambrano was a rare returnee for head coach Louis Llull. A three-year starter, Zambrano was the Lions top defender and a good reason second-team All-Queens goalkeeper Elvir Prasovic had five consecutive shutouts to open the season. Colombian-born Zambrano also plays No. 1 singles for the school’s tennis team.
Jeremy O’Brien Sr. Def. Bayside
After a successful sophomore season as a striker, Bayside head coach Joe Corrado asked O’Brien to move to sweeper and there wasn’t one word of complaint. Corrado calls O’Brien, another three-year starter and two-year captain, “the total package, a player who started our attack and ended the other team’s.” Division I Stony Brook has shown interest.
Andre Elphic Sr. Def. Springfield Gardens
He was the center of what Springfield coach Clifton Schultz called a “defensive offensive,” a system where the Golden Eagles quickly moved from defense to offense, thanks usually to Elphic’s long boots down field. A sprinter on the school's track team, Elphic controlled Springfield’s difficult offside trap and also had eight goals and six assists for 22 points.
Emre Aksu Sr. Mid. Bayside
Aksu had six goals and six assists for 18 points to lead Bayside to a 10-2-2 record in its first year in the PSAL ‘A’ league. But Aksu, an unselfish player who Corrado calls a “magician with the ball,” was also a tireless worker off the ball and as well as an underrated defensive midfielder.
Noe Canales Sr. Mid. Thomas Edison
Canales’ play in the midfield was one of the main reasons Edison had a resurgence in 2001. He was second on the team in scoring with 10 goals and three assists and was considered by first-year head coach Dan Engelson to be a leader on and off the field as the Inventors won the Queens B North crown with an 11-0-1 mark before being upset in the playoffs by A.P. Randolph.
Eric Herrera Sr. Mid. Francis Lewis
After winning the Queens A East crown two years in a row, it was an unusually subpar year for Francis Lewis. The Patriots one constant though was the superior play of Herrera in the midfield. The senior midfielder had nine goals and five assists and was a calming influence on a struggling team that went 4-7-1 and missed the playoffs.
Juan Orozco Sr. Mid. Newtown
Orozco played just one year at Newtown, but he instantly left his mark as one of the borough’s top defensive midfielders. He also scored two goals and had one assist for the Pioneers, who finished 10-1-2 and were upset by Monroe in second round of the playoffs.
Damion Chambers Sr. Fwd. Springfield Gardens
No player benefited more from Elphic’s long, booming kicks than Chambers. The senior speedster led the Golden Eagles to a PSAL ‘B’ semifinal berth, scoring 12 goals and dishing out four assists for a total of 25 points. And when Springfield lost, which only happened three times, the soft-spoken Chambers was usually one of the more positive players, which also made his quite a leader.
Second Team
Elvic Prasovic Jr. GK Newcomers
Jing Jun Quan Sr. Def. Flushing
Jory Reid Sr. Def. Campus Magnet
Daniel Barci Sr. Def. Newcomers
Gerald Prophete Jr. Mid. Bayside
Pablo Gil Sr. Mid. Cardozo
Francisco Gongora Jr. Fwd. Thomas Edison
Vincente Devia Jr. Mid. Robert F. Wagner
Oskar Kowalski Jr. Mid. Forest Hills
Rob Bartolini Sr. Fwd. Cardozo
Keelan Kellman Jr. Fwd. Hillcrest
