The 2021 Providence Journal All-State First- and Second-Team selections for Boys Soccer are here
Here are the All-State Rhode Island High School Sports Awards first and second teams for Boys Soccer. The First Teamers are all nominees for player of the year for the All-State Rhode Island High School Sports Awards presented by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, to be held in the spring. The winner will be the announced at the show. More details about the program are coming soon.
During the live show, these nominees will be honored, along with the top three finalists and the player of the year. All official nominees can receive a free ticket. Check back later in the year for information on how to RSVP.
The All-State Rhode Island High School Sports Awards, presented by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.
First Team
Dante Figueira
La Salle, senior
Goalkeeper
An opponent looking to take down the Rams generally needs to bury whatever chances it can generate. That’s difficult when you have a veteran like Figueira in net, and he helped backstop La Salle to a sixth Division I championship since 2011.
Izaiah Karweh
Central, senior
Defender
The Knights counted an All-New England selection as a member of their defense. That was Karweh, and he made Central difficult enough to break down — though outmanned most nights — that it managed five draws against Division I opponents.
Chase Zorner
North Kingstown, junior
Defender
The best could be yet to come for the Skippers, who played for a first Division I championship since 2014 and counted several talented members of their junior class. Zorner is firmly included in that group thanks to his presence at the back.
Daniel Gryzbacz
Cumberland, senior
Defender
The Clippers were an even .500 in the regular season at 6-6-3 and finished in the top half of Division I. That’s not easy to manage against the state’s best teams, and Gryzbacz had a lot to do with it through his play at defense.
Joey Turco
South Kingstown, senior
Defender
A defender who can come forward with the ball and take a set piece or two is like a bonus for any good side. Turco was one of those players for the Rebels — unafraid to attack down the left and skilled enough to put opposing defenses under pressure.
Henry Kirkman
Moses Brown, senior
Midfielder
He’s been one of the state’s best players for multiple seasons, and Kirkman added All-New England honors to his collection this fall. He sat deeper in the Quakers midfield and functioned almost like a quarterback ahead of the defense and behind the attackers.
Sekou Kamara
Wheeler, senior
Midfielder
The Warriors further established themselves as a respectable program in Division I partly thanks to Kamara. The All-New England nominee is the type of midfielder who could facilitate for his teammates or do the honors himself in attack.
Connor Froberg
North Kingstown, junior
Midfielder
Froberg netted what was arguably the goal of the season in a Division I semifinal victory against rival South Kingstown, the highlight of an All-New England campaign. The attacking midfielder should have the Skippers in contention for a return to the championship match next fall.
Andrew Blazewicz
Barrington, senior
Midfielder
The Eagles reached the Division I semifinals thanks in part to this senior midfielder. Blazewicz had a wonderful sense of timing while finding the net — his goals helped power Barrington into the ranks of the league’s contenders.
Thomas Corcoran
Lincoln, senior
Forward
Few attackers in the state were as cool in front of the goal as Corcoran. The All-New England nominee and Division II Player of the Year was the main man on the attack for the Lions, who finished at the top of the standings in the regular season and reached the semifinals.
Jubril Bamgbala
La Salle, junior
Forward
The classic target man up front, Bamgbala used his strong frame to shield the ball from opposing defenders. That allowed fellow Rams attackers the time to find space around him, and Bamgbala also knew how to bag plenty of goals himself when opportunity knocked.
Michael Hofstetter
La Salle, senior
Forward
The state’s All-American nominee this season, Hofstetter capitalized on the only chance he needed to give the Rams a Division I crown in a victory over North Kingstown. Capable of operating as a striker or speedy winger, he’ll continue at the University of Rhode Island in the fall.
Second Team
Nathan Levine, Portsmouth
Harry Turner, Barrington
Ivan Santos-Araujo, Central Falls
Lucas Duquette, South Kingstown
Matt Stamatelatos, North Smithfield
Brian Garrepy, Bishop Hendricken
Stephen Timperley, East Greenwich
Carlos Andrade, Cranston East
Brett Schwab, East Providence
Thomas Zhao, Lincoln
Dan Goba, North Kingstown
Noah Furtado, Mt. Hope
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: The 2021 Providence Journal All-State Boys Soccer 1st and 2nd Teams
