In a recent column, I referenced a make-believe ‘All-Decade Team.’ I continued to see others talk about creating all-decade teams in their area. I’ve covered Pioneer Athletic Conference soccer for the entire decade – since 2006 – so it got me wondering, ‘What would my all-decade teams look like?’ And off it went.
The criteria for inclusion was varied and inexact: the No. 1 criteria was high school postseason awards, including All-America, All-State and Mercury All-Area. Multiple years at an All-Area level carried weight, as did an especially elite or memorable season. Success at the college level (when applicable) was a bonus in some cases.
PAC Boys’ Soccer All-Decade Team
In the interest of creating a real team, positions were an important factor during selection. While plenty will have played multiple positions in and out of high school play, players were chosen at their primary position of their peak high school years.
Reflective of a match day squad in the English Premier League, 11 starters and 7 substitutes were named to the PAC All-Decade Teams.
The squads are up for debate because, after all, choosing 18 players from 10 years of play leaves plenty of quality players without a spot on the squad.
Your all-decade team may look different than mine, and that’s OK – this is meant to be a fun exercise to shout out some of the area’s best of the past 10 years.
But I’ll happily put mine up against yours. May the best team win.
Starting XI
F – Lauren Benner, Phoenixville (2015 – NSCAA All-East Region All-American, Mercury All-Area Player of the Year 2014)
F- Kayla Smith, Upper Perkiomen (2014 – PSCA All-State & Mercury All-Area POY 2013, Indiana University)
F – Mahogany Willis, Owen J. Roberts (2018 – USC Region II All-American, All-Area POY 2017, IUP)
M – Cecilia Knaub, Phoenxville (2015 – PSCA All-State 2014, Penn State)
M – Kylee MacLeod, Owen J. Roberts (2019 – PSCA All-State 2018, Mercury All-Area POY 2018, Kutztown)
M – Emily Morgan, Owen J. Roberts (2013 – PSCA All-State 2012, two-time Mercury All-Area POY, Georgetown)
D – Kylie Cahill, Owen J. Roberts (2017 – USC All-Region II East All-American, two-time All-Area first team, Longwood)
D – Jenna Dubs, Boyertown (2012 – PSCA All-State 2011, Marshall University)
D – Taylor Newhart, Spring-Ford (2016 – three-time All-Area first/second team, PIAA finalist/quarterfinalist (2), La Salle)
D – Laura Suero, Spring-Ford (2016 – PSCA All-State & Mercury POY 2015, two-time All-Area first team, Penn State)
G – Emily Armstrong, Perkiomen Valley (2012, NSCAA All-East Region All-American 2011, UConn, playing professionally in Sweden)
Substitutes
F – Kayla Mesaros, Pope John Paul II (2018 – PSCA All-State 2017, three-time Mercury All-Area first team, St. John’s)
F – Gabrielle Vagnozzi, Spring-Ford (2016 – two-time All-Area first team, St. Joseph’s)
M – Gabby Kane, Spring-Ford (2017 – USC All-Region II East All-American, All-Area POY 2016, Kutztown)
M – Emilie Kupsov, Owen J. Roberts (2016 – three-time All-Area first team, Longwood University)
M – Gabrielle Perrotto, Phoenixville (2019 – PSCA All-State 2018, Drexel)
D – Molly McHarg, Spring-Ford (2017 – two-time All-Area first team, Kutztown)
G – Sarafina Valenti, Boyertown (2016 – USC All-Region II East All-American, three-time All-Area first team, Penn State)
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