PNG racks up soccer superlatives
Published 9:25 pm Monday, April 10, 2017
The success Port Neches-Groves had on the soccer field was deserving of many awards.
Five Indians were given superlative honors as the All-District 22-5A boys team was released Monday. Their captain, senior midfielder Garrison VanHouten, was honored as the Most Valuable Player following an 11-goal, six-assist season in the Indians’ run to the area round of the 5A playoffs, which included a 23-1-3 mark and an unbeaten district season.
Junior forward Preston Riggs unanimously won offensive player of the year. He scored 31 goals, 11 of them game-winners, posted five hat tricks and made 12 assists.
Senior center back Chase Gordon was unanimously named the district defensive player of the year. He made 17 clearances and 123 takeaways to go with one goal and four assists.
Senior Noah Riggs shared the goalkeeper of the year award with Lumberton senior Keaton Soileau. Riggs posted a 17-1-3 record with 15 shutouts and allowed only nine goals.
And coach Chad Luttrull was named coach of the year. The fifth-year leader has 207 career wins and helped the Indians tie school single-season records for most wins (23), most shutouts (18), fewest losses (1) and fewest goals allowed (10). Their 18-game win streak was the second-longest, and their defense ranked first in 5A in goals allowed, according to MaxPreps.
Five more Indians were named all-district first-teamers: forwards Colton Stone and Kellon Hoyte, midfielders Mario Oceguera and Caleb Davis and defender Christian Davalos. Memorial placed two on the first-team list with midfielder Roberto Guzman and defender Gilberto Munguia, and Nederland had midfielders Travis Wiedenfeld and Austin Rich as well as defender Ethan Landry.
Local second-teamers include: Midfielders, Sergio Aguilar of PNG, Alex Celaya of Nederland and Sergio Sanchez of Memorial; and defenders, Ian Rye and Micah Mullens of PNG and Jace Edgar of Nederland.
I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews