College soccer: Pirates peppers NWAC athletic, academic all-star lists

The Peninsula Pirates were well-represented in Northwest Athletic Conference post-season honors this year with 14 women and 11 men earning awards, while head coaches Kanyon Anderson and Cale Rodriguez were each named North Region Coach of the Year.

The Pirate women, who earned a sixth straight trip to the NWAC Final Four, placed seven players on the North Region All-Star Team, nine players earning NWAC Academic Excellence honors, and three more players named All-Region.

The all-star list includes Hoku Afong, Audrey Barham, Kameryn Jury-Hale, Akari Hoshino, Ellie Small, Kennady Whitehead and Coby Yoshimura.

Academic honors, an award only available to sophomores, went to Barham, Malia Henderson, Elizabeth Hornsey, Ellie Small, Bri Vallente, Cecely Warnick, Whitehead, Yoshimura and Bailie Zuber.

In addition, Zuber, Cierra Hamilton and Sydney Warren were named to the North Region All-Conference Team.

Anderson’s Coach of the Year honor marks the fourth time in his seven years as head women’s soccer coach that he received that recognition.

“This team has been dedicated to the team-first concept,” Anderson said. “The players on the All-Star list are deserving and are great players, but they don’t put the individual accolades above the team.”

For the men, as region champions, Peninsula was allowed eight nominations for the All-Star Team and the other five coaches in the North voted all eight onto the All-Star Team.

They played in the NWAC Men’s All-Star Game on Nov. 13 at Starfire Stadium, with Rodriguez, a second-year coach who won his first NWAC Region Coach of the Year award, coaching them.

That list is headed up by Cesar Gervacio, Peninsula’s leading scorer who won Most Valuable Player honors. He will be joined by Juan Carrillo, Marlan Nava, Jason Ramos, Jose Soto, Demar Stewart and Salvador Vargas.

Soto also will be honored with an NWAC Academic Excellence award.

Finally, Alex Ramos, Miguel Valderrama and Joey Hollimon were named North Region All-Conference.

“It is a tremendous honor to have eight players selected to the All-Star team,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a true testament to the season that this team has had this year and their body of work. All eight players had terrific seasons, yet there are truly several other players who are just as deserving.”

Rodriguez also appreciated his recognition as Coach of the Year.

“I am blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to work with talented and dedicated players every single day,” he said. “They deserve all the credit. I can’t thank them enough for trusting in me.”