MCA's Ahrensfield, SCA's Honabach top soccer stars

If there is one thing Mount Carmel Area girls soccer fans are going to have to get used to next season, it will be not seeing Ranotta Ahrensfield tearing down the left flank on offense, heading to the goal with head coach Rich Miller yelling from the sideline, "Go, 'Notta."

Ahrensfield has been running down that side for four seasons, and 99 times during her career she finished that run with a goal, making her the number two scorer in school history behind Holly Ibanez.

As a senior this season, Ahrensfield, with a lot of help from her friends, scored 29 goals, and she returned in kind with eight assists, making her the area's scoring leader, as Mount Carmel finished third in a strong District 4-AA field and won its first state playoff game.

Ahrensfield is The News-Item's Girls 2011 All-Area Player of the Year.

Southern Columbia's Corey Honabach is the Boys Player of the Year.

Joining Ahrensfield on the girls all-area team are her Mount Carmel teammates Megan Van Doren, Ali Varano, Kim Andruscavage, Heather Bolick and Taylor Getty; Southern Columbia's Sam Fraley, 2010's Player of the Year; Mackenzie Clark, Bailey Bzdak, and Courtney Cecco; Line Mountain's Kasey Long and Tia Kissinger; and Lourdes Regional's Rachel Schultz. Ahrensfield, Varano, Andruscavage. Van Doren, Fraley, Clark, Bzdak, Cecco and Schultz are all repeat selections from last season.

Others on the boys team include Matt Gass, Jon Deitrick and Jon Vanaskie of Shamokin Area; Eric Roberts, Sam Ashtar, Nate Mitchell and Alex Gipple, Southern Columbia; Corey Yeager of Mount Carmel; Falconer Walshaw-Wertz and Doc Gaugler, Line Mountain. Gass and Walshaw-Wertz are the only repeat picks.

Ahrensfield's scoring helped propel Mount Carmel to a 15-9 overall record, and she was strong during the postseason run with seven goals in six postseason contests. She was also a Heartland Conference Division II first team pick at forward.

Here are thumbnail sketches of the other all-area players:

Megan Van Doren, Mount Carmel, sr.

Van Doren had seven shutouts and roughly 150 saves, and gave up 29 goals in 23 games. Her physical style of play kept opposing players from camping out in front of the Tornadoes' goal. Had a save percentage near .850.

Ali Varano, Mount Carmel, soph.

Varano took care of the other side of the offensive flank for Mount Carmel, producing 22 goals and eight assists despite missing several games. Heartland Division II first team midfielder,

Kim Andruscavage, Mount Carmel, sr.

If Ahrensfield was Mount Carmel's offensive force the past four seasons, Andruscavage was the heart of the defense as a four-year starter at back. Missed several games because of a leg injury.

Heather Bolick, Mount Carmel, sr.

She gave the Red Tornadoes yet another scoring option playing at midfield, with 15 goals and 10 assists. Heartland Division II second team back.

Taylor Getty, Mount Carmel, sr.

Getty's booming corner kicks were a big reason Ahrensfield, Varano, Bolick, et al were able to create havoc in front of the net. Scored three goals and had eight assists.

Sam Fraley, Southern Columbia, sr.

Fraley, last season's Player of the Year, was probably just as good this season. The senior defender anchors the Tiger defense, and is also a key to getting the offense started. She scored two goals with seven assists, and played almost every minute of every game for four years. Had 10 goals, 17 assists for her career. Southern's coaches say plainly, "We must have her on the field to be successful." Heartland Division II first team back.

Mackenzie Clark, Southern Columbia, soph.

Clark led the Tigers with 16 goals and added seven assists, and also played just about every minute of every game. First team Heartland Conference Division II midfielder.

Bailey Bzdak, Southern Columbia, soph.

Bzdak scored 13 goals and added five assists to Southern's offense and has scored a goal or assist in roughly 70 percent of the games she's played in two seasons. First Heartland Division II forward.

Courtney Cecco, Southern Columbia, sr.

Midfielder scored nine goals on only 14 shots, and added two assists. She scored 28 goals with 16 assists for her career, and was considered a great clutch player by her coaches. Second team Heartland Division II pick.

Kasey Long, Line Mountain, sr.

Long scored eight goals with an assist, and also picked up a couple of saves as a goalie for the Eagles. She was a first team Schuylkill League all-star and second team Tri-Valley League pick.

Tia Kissinger, Line Mountain, jr.

Scored eight goals with an assist. She and Long often switched positions during a game to force opponents into defensive switches.

Rachel Schultz, Lourdes, soph.

Led the Red Raiders with eight goals in games reported to The News-Item.

Boys Corey Honabach, Southern Columbia, sr.

Honabach was tied for the area lead among boys scorers with 13 goals, adding five assists. Heartland Conference Division II forward.

Matt Gass, Shamokin, jr.

Gass also scored 13 goals to lead Shamokin in scoring for the second straight year, and chipped in with two assists. A first team Heartland Division I all-star forward.

Jon Deitrick, Shamokin,

Deitrick had 186 saves in goal for the Indians, and although the Indians were often overmatched against some of the stronger teams in the Heartland Division I, he still had a save percentage in the .750 neighborhood. He also threw in an assist. Secon team Heartland Division I goalkeeper.

Jon Vanaskie, Shamokin, sr.

A solid midfielder who combined offensive skills with defensive tenacity. He scored four goals and added six assists. A second team Heartland Division I midfielder.

Eric Roberts, Southern, sr.

A Heartland Division II first team pick at defender, Roberts also scored four goals and had two assists for the Tigers.

Sam Ashtar, Southern, soph.

Goalkeeper had 203 saves and was a Heartland Division II second team pick.

Nate Mitchell, Southern, soph.

Split time between midfield and defense, he scored two goals and led Southern with seven assists.

Alex Gipple, Southern, sr.

Midfielder had four goals and two assists, and was a second team Heartland Division II selection.

Cory Yeager, Mount Carmel, sr.

Two-way player split time between forward, where he led the team in goals, and goalkeeper, where he served as backup.

Falconer Walshaw-Wertz, Line Mountain, soph.

Walshaw-Wertz led the Eagles in scoring for the second year, with 11 goals and six assists.

Doc Gaugler, Line Mountain,

Gaugler had 199 saves in goal for the Eagles, including 35 in one game, and also came out of the goal on occasion to scored three goals with an assist on offense.

Honorable mentions

Girls

Shamokin - Brandi Segura, Keena Zalar, Renea Broscious; Southern Columbia - Kat Hutchinson, Kayla Hanley, Teanna Shutt, Jess Watkins; Line Mountain - Diedre Long, Maggie Coleman; Lourdes - Nikki Komara, Kortni Koshinskie, Bailey Trell.

Boys

Mount Carmel - Cody Haupt; Line Mountain - Clayton Pollard, Blaine Klinger; Shamokin - Theo Deptula.