Announcement
Express' Sperduto, Wise Named to All-State Team!
Andrew Legare, alegare@stargazette.com / @SGAndreLegare
Published 4:55 pm ET, Dec. 8, 2017
Section 4 boys soccer had one of its best collective seasons ever this fall, with two teams winning state titles and another coming within a goal of advancing to the Class AA championship game.
That high level of play has been rewarded with 14 players being selected to the United Soccer Coaches all-state team. The group, formerly known as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, made its picks based on nominations sent through coaches who are part of the organization.
Leading the Section 4 selections is Vestal senior midfielder Parker McKnight, who was named one of the 67 boys All-Americans across the country and a first-team Large Schools all-state pick in New York. McKnight scored three goals in a 4-0 victory over Queensbury in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A final, capping a 20-0 season for the Golden Bears. McKnight finished the season with a team-high 16 goals and five assists.
McKnight was also named to the All-East Region team along with Ithaca senior forward Roberto Mier. From just over the border in Pennsylvania, Athens senior forward Ethan Lane also earned All-East Region honors.
Also earning all-state honors for Vestal was senior Corey Barr, a fifth-team Large Schools pick. He had 14 goals and 13 assists this season.
Mier joined McKnight on the New York's Large Schools first team after leading the Little Red to a fifth consecutive Section 4 Class AA title. Ithaca advanced to the state semifinals before falling to eventual champion Rochester McQuaid, 1-0, in overtime. The Little Red finished 13-4 and advanced to the state final four for the third time in four years.
Lansing High School, which won the first Class C state title in program history, had two all-state picks among Small Schools. Senior midfielder Nick Parkes was a thirs-team choice and senior midfielder Jach Zajac was chosen to the fourth team. Parkes scored the winning goal in overtime in the Bobcats' 2-1 victory over Byron-Bergan/Elba in the state final.
Elmira High School, which made it to the sectional final, had two all-state picks among Large Schools. Senior midfielder Gavin Wise was named to the third team and sophomore Noah Sperduto was picked to the fourth team. Sperduto led Elmira with 17 goals and shared team-high honors with seven assists. He scored three of the seven goals Ithaca allowed during the regular season and factored into 24 of Elmira's 37 goals. Wise had seven goals and seven assists despite missing 2 1/2 games with mononucleosis.
