High school soccer: Lorain County players of the year know how to put the ball in the net

ELYRIA — It was the year of big-goal scorers in Lorain County soccer and two of the biggest scorers — Columbia's Brian Wells and Firelands' Lexi McCrary — were among the honorees Thursday when the Lorain County Soccer Coaches Association handed out its annual player of the year awards in a ceremony at the Elyria Performing Arts Center.Wells led the Raiders with 22 goals to go along with nine assists, numbers that not only earned him the boys Division III player of the year award, it also earned him a spot on the All-Ohio second team."I gave my heart and soul and my blood, sweat and tears to the game so this award means a lot to me," Wells said. "I wasn't a captain my senior year so I had to work through a lot of adversity and I've really worked hard for what I got. I feel like I deserve it."McCrary scored more than half of the Falcons' goals — 21 to be exact — to earn the Division II girls player of the year award. She finished her career with 69 goals."We worked really well as a team this year and that made it possible for me to have a good season," McCrary said. "When we beat Lutheran West the first game of the year it was the first time we ever won on turf so that got us off to a good start."The Avon Lake boys posted their best record in school history this season, going 14-3-1, and senior Edison Lemanowicz was a big part of their success.Lemanowicz, the Division I player of the year, had 18 goals and six assists while helping the Shoremen reach the district semifinals. Like Wells, Lemanowicz was also second-team All-Ohio."I've been playing soccer for 14 years, it's been a big part of my life," Lemanowicz said. "It meant everything to me to be a part of the Avon Lake team that had the best record in school history. We had a lot of talented kids who grew up playing together and we had really good chemistry."Avon Lake coach Pete Klepek shared the Division I coach of the year award with Amherst's Drew Biedenbach. Amherst's Gary Gonzalez was named Division I girls coach of the year.Vermilion junior Logan Penton was the only Lorain County player named first-team All-Ohio and now he can add the boys Division II player of the year award to his burgeoning trophy collection. Penton finished the season with 12 goals and 11 assists for the Sailors, who won the Sandusky Bay Conference championship.Vermilion coach Kurt Innes was also named the Division II coach of the year."My coach and I have a good relationship, we've been together for three years so we make a good duo," Penton said.Oberlin's Janae Johnson, the Division III girls player of the year, wrapped up her three-year high school career with 32 goals and 13 assists."It feels really good to win this award," Johnson said. "I could not have done it without my teammates and coaches. We had a really young team this year so that was difficult at the beginning of the year but we really started to play well later in the season."The Division I girls player of the year award went to Amherst junior Lexy Alston, who was also the Southwestern Conference player of the year and is a two-time second-team All-Ohio honoree."Being a junior I didn't expect to win this award," said Alston, an Eastern Michigan commit who had 16 goals and nine assists. "I'm so thankful for this award. It was a huge surprise and a huge honor."Lake Ridge Academy coach Everett Palache was named boys Division III coach of the year after leading the Royals to the district finals. Keystone's Tim Giesel (Division II) and Open Door Christian's Dave Eck (Division III) also earned coach of the year honors.Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.BOYSDIVISION IPlayer of the Year: Edison Lemanowicz, Avon LakeCoaches of the Year: Pete Klepek, Avon Lake; Drew Bidenbach, AmherstAssistant Coach of the Year: Tony Dore, AvonFirst team: Andrew Jacobson, Avon Lake; Drew Del Giudice, Avon Lake; Ben Biedenbach, Amherst; Carter Hancock, Amherst; Noah Lindon, Avon; Drew Whited, Avon; Joe Grau, North Ridgeville; Andrew Ross, North Ridgeville; Garrett Hilty, Midview; Kiel Wells, Midview, Isaac Dicken, Elyria, Charles Locklear, Elyria; Cole Thompson, Midview.Second team: Cameron Salco, Avon Lake; Josh Lawniczak, Avon Lake; Joseph Yochheim, Amherst; Gavin Velazquez, Amherst; Nicholas Soulas, Avon; Tyler Muir, Avon; Danny DeJesus, North Ridgeville; Ian Vizzuso, Midview; Damond Mathis, Midview; Alex Heighberger, Elyria; Jack Bailey, Elyria; Colton Hyde, Elyria.Honorable mention: Joey Caputo, Avon Lake; Spencer Chippi, Avon Lake; Bradley Kirsch, Amherst; Ethan London, Amherst; Adam Kalvitz, Avon; Keegan Dawson , Avon; Will Smith, North Ridgeville; Shaun Crawford, North Ridgeville; Quentin Kirkpatrick, Midview; Joshua Vincent, Midview; Logan Boddy, Elyria.DIVISION IIPlayer of the Year: Logan Penton, VermilionCoach of the Year: Kurt Innes, VermilionAssistant Coach of the Year: Taylor Millar, BrooksideFirst team: Riley Baxter, Vermilion; Justin Stask, Vermilion; Ryan Bodeker, Vermilion; Ryan Habermehl, Vermilion; Jordan Hill, Keystone; Carter McCartney, Keystone; Matt Leydig, Keystone; Josiah Ortiz, Brookside; Donny Liggitt, Brookside; Jon Wright, Brookside; Zach McCrary, Firelands; Cole Kaminski, Firelands; Connor Baughman, Brookside.Second team: James Matheson, Vermilion; Sam Dewey, Vermilion; Cavan Leonardo, Vermilion; Zachary Marsh, Keystone; Travis Storrow, Keystone; Tristin Miller, Keystone; Joel Pospisil, Brookside; Jesse Londo, Brookside; Dylan Smith, Brookside; Henry Grame, Firelands; Payton Burgdorf, Firelands; Chace Riley, Firelands; Lorenzo Reyna, Firelands.Honorable mention: Brandon Binder, Vermilion; Isaac Lindo, Vermilion; Logan Fraser, Keystone; Gavin Walls, Keystone; Austin Schill, Brookside; Cody Morensen, Brookside; Alex Krebs, Firelands; Chance Coultrip, Firelands.DIVISION IIIPlayer of the Year: Brian Wells, ColumbiaCoach of the Year: Everett Palache, Lake RidgeAssistant Coach of the Year: Miguel Villegas, Lake RidgeFirst team: Carson Odle, First Baptist; Ebuka Ojukwu, First Baptist; Mike Sison, Lake Ridge; Javier Palacios, Lake Ridge; Patrick Delaney, Elyria Catholic; Alex Steindl, Elyria Catholic; Aiden Woodyard, Elyria Catholic; Thayer Preston, Oberlin; John Elrod, Oberlin; Ben Skowronsky, Columbia; Cameron Lara, Wellington; Cory Feron, Wellington; Bryce Hileman, Elyria Catholic.Second team: Ryan Emilio, Open Door; Danny Sandoval, Open Door; Erick Hollweg, Lake Ridge; Matt South, Lake Ridge; Mikos Sison, Lake Ridge; Andrew Muzilla, Elyria Catholic; Jake Records, Elyria Catholic; Steven Del Campo, Wellington; Syncere Shahid, Oberlin; Matt Dixon, Columbia; Charlie Simon, Columbia; Bryce Tegtmeyer, Wellington; Blake Spiekerman, Wellington.Honorable mention: Peter Quick, First Baptist; Jackson Meier, First Baptist; Pablo Pineda, Lake Ridge; Austin Bramhall, Lake Ridge; Asa Kempton, Elyria Catholic; Steven Leon, Elyria Catholic; Julian Cross, Oberlin; Austin Bullock, Oberlin; Tyler Hite, Columbia; Karl Tallos, Columbia; Josh Mitterling, Wellington; Jeffery Bland, Wellington; Todd Giesbrecht, Open Door; Tommy Kemp, Open Door.GIRLSDIVISION IPlayer of the Year: Alexis Alston, AmherstCoach of the Year: Gary Gonzalez, AmherstAssistant Coach of the Year: Tony Passalacqua, AvonFirst team: Amber Achladis, Avon Lake; Elizabeth Murdock, Avon Lake; Alexis Alston, Amherst; Taylor Pogachar, Amherst; Anna Brethauer, Avon; Kelsey Gannon, Avon; Taylor Wohleber, North Ridgeville; Lauren Milner, North Ridgeville; Autumn Vance, Midview; Stephanie Sturgeon, Midview; Jessie Thomas, Elyria; Hannah McCray, Elyria; Ainsley Steele, Amherst.Second team: Allie Heschel, Avon Lake; Adele Osberg, Avon Lake; Cameron Dumais, Amherst; Nora Wright, Amherst; Beth Robinson, Avon; Avery Rosso, Avon; Lindsey Moore, North Ridgeville; Abby Bernhardt, North Ridgeville; Natalie Maver, Midview; Kylie Cline, Midview; Ramiah Wallace, Elyria; Sierra Schroyer, Elyria; Alaina Mihalik, Avon.Honorable mention: Tayleigh Price, Avon Lake; Casey Whalen, Avon Lake; Elley Vorhees, Amherst; Juliet Seng, Amherst; Kaleigh Jaracz, Avon; Taylor Golas, Avon; Kayla Elswick, North Ridgeville; Nadia Stofan, North Ridgeville; Sara Liszeski, Midview; Erin Simpson, Midview; Kayla Kilgore, Elyria; Ashley Harmon, Elyria.DIVISION IIPlayer of the Year: Lexi McCrary, FirelandsCoach of the Year: Tim Giesel, KeystoneAssistant Coach of the Year: Hannah Bartlome, VermilionFirst team: Lexi McCrary, Firelands; Isabel Solowiej, Firelands; Peyton Phillips, Firelands; Julia Douzos, Firelands; Alessandra Davis, Firelands; Mikayla Lindo, Vermilion; Riley Allen, Vermilion; Madison Carter, Keystone; Faith Baracskai, Keystone; Alexis Williams, Keystone; Jordyn Shawver, Brookside; Sarah Torres, Brookside; Cassandra Harant, Keystone.Second team: Andria Mains, Firelands; Emma McDevitt, Firelands; Jordan Janosik, Firelands; Makaylee Sexton, Vermilion; Kailey Logue, Vermilion; Julia Peter, Vermilion; Shelby Fortune, Keystone; Michelle Spanos, Keystone; Sara Wargo, Keystone; Ashlee-Ann Aliff, Brookside; Marissa Meyers, Brookside; Mackenzie Mastronianni, Brookside; Andria McCelland, Brookside.Honorable mention: Audrey Lyons, Firelands; Dylan Koba-Nelson, Firelands; Claudia Wilson, Vermilion; Jasmyn Zimmerman, Vermilion; Samantha Wise, Keystone; Emily Yates, Keystone; Rebekah Torres, Brookside; Hanna Begany, Brookside.DIVISION IIIPlayer of the Year: Janae Johnson, OberlinCoach of the Year: Dave Eck, Open DoorAssistant Coach of the Year: Dana McNeely, Elyria CatholicFirst team: Janae Johnson, Oberlin; Rosy Turner, Oberlin; Sam Carrico, Columbia; Jessica Garrow, Columbia; Megan McClain, Open Door; Emily Werley, Open Door; Lauren Alley, Wellington; Grace Dudziak, Wellington; Emily Vogel, Elyria Catholic; Avery Doll, Elyria Catholic; Sadie Hutsenpiller, Elyria Catholic; Mady Rosado Lake Ridge; Alissa Faber, Open Door.Second team: Alyssa Hicks-Watson, Oberlin; Victoria Adair, Oberlin; Danielle Gerda, Columbia; Jillian Grzywna, Columbia; Maggie Eck, Open Door; Salina Reyes, Open Door; Jill Laposky, Wellington; Micah Smiley, Wellington; Emilie Uhnak, Elyria Catholic; Alexa Oberg, Elyria Catholic; Ally Ross, Lake Ridge; Alex Borroni, Lake Ridge; Cameron Resor, Elyria Catholic.Honorable mention: Una Laubscher-Baumann, Oberlin; Emerson Freas, Oberlin; Regan Gallaher, Columbia; Sarah Conway, Columbia; Annalieze Crawford, Open Door; Emily McClain, Open Door; Katrina Kosa, Wellington; Maddy Mull, Wellington; Victoria Cantu, Elyria Catholic; Delaney Stringer, Elyria Catholic; Kailey Barrett, Lake Ridge; Aidan Beitel, Lake Ridge.