Sydney Warren and Cesar Gervacio were named North Region Most Valuable Players, Kanyon Anderson repeated as Coach of the Year, and Peninsula College was well represented with 22 players earning Northwest Athletic Conference postseason honors.
Warren, a sophomore from Maple Valley who leads the NWAC in scoring, was named NWAC Player of the Year to go along with her North Region MVP. She finished with 31 goals, a single-season record. She also earned a spot as a North Region All-Star forward, along with teammate Jordyn DiCintio, a sophomore from San Diego, Calif.
Joining Warren and DiCintio on the North Region All-Star Team are Kelly Kevershan, a sophomore midfielder from Tucson, Ariz.; Janis Martinez-Ortiz, a sophomore midfielder from Las Vegas, Nev.; Sam Guzman, a freshman defender from Corona, Calif., and Akari Hoshino, a sophomore goal keeper from Adachi, Japan.
Also earning recognition as North Region All-Conference selections are Sarah Reiber, a sophomore midfielder from Yakima; Maddy Parton, a sophomore forward from Leavenworth, and Malia Brudvik, a sophomore defender from Auburn.
“These players are all very deserving and I am proud of them,” said Anderson, who this year shared North Region Coach of the Year honors with Mary Schroeder of Whatcom.
“They are talented, but also great teammates who play for the team and not for their own recognition,” Anderson said of his Pirates.
“They know that without a great team around them, they would not have the success they do.”
The Pirates also led the NWAC again this year with the number of student athletes receiving All-Academic honors, with Kevershan, Parton, Warren, Yasmin Escobar, Emilee Greve, Tatiana Hagan, Jayna Morikawa and Emelie Small each receiving the honor.
“It is such a bonus to have players who are committed to their education,” Anderson said. “That’s what this is really all about and these eight set a high standard for the rest of the players.”
Thanks to PC’s win in the semifinals against Tacoma on Nov. 10, the Pirate women qualified for the Nov. 11 NWAC championship game and did not play in the all-star game on the same day. Peninsula fell 1-0 to Highline in overtime.
Pirate men
Gervacio, a sophomore from San Jose, Calif., who led the NWAC in scoring through the regular season, was named the region’s MVP for the second straight year as well as an all-star forward.
Joining him on the list of all-star forwards is fellow San Jose native Juan Carrillo, also a sophomore. Peninsula’s Adrian Benitez, a sophomore from Riverbank, Calif., and Jose Serna, a freshman from Cowiche, Wa., were named all-star midfielders, and freshman Sterling Penniston-John of Las Vegas, Nev., was named as an all-star defender.
Earning all-conference recognition for the Pirates were Joey Hollimon, a sophomore from Las Vegas, Nev., Sergio Gonzalez Reyes, a sophomore from Reno, Nev., and Michael Benito, a freshman from San Diego, Calif.
“I’m extremely proud and pleased that we have five All-Stars being recognized for their hard work and determination,” Peninsula men’s head coach Jake Hughes said.
“These players, along with our All-Conference selections, have represented the program well and fully deserve the recognition.”
The five Pirate All-Stars were scheduled to play in the NWAC’s annual All-Star Game at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila on Nov. 12.
