14 WPIAL players nominated for All-American soccer games

By:
Thursday, August 27, 2020 | 3:36 PM


Fourteen WPIAL players have a chance to play in the country’s premier soccer all-star games.

The watch list for the 10th High School All-American Game was announced this week and the WPIAL is well-represented, particularly on the girls side with 11 of the 30 nominees from Pennsylvania coming from District 7.

All of the players are seniors.

Finalists will be chosen at a later date.

The All-American games are scheduled to be played May 29 but a site has not been announced.

Last year’s games were played in December in Winter Park, Fla. Greensburg Central Catholic’s Nate Ward, now at Indiana, scored a goal in the game. Ward was named to the national Best XI Team.

Gateway goalkeeper Madisyn Neundorfer, a Duquesne recruit, also was selected.

Past girls from the WPIAL to play in the All-American games are Bailey Cartwright of Greensburg Central Catholic in 2016 (Notre Dame) and Norwin’s Emily Harrigan in ‘17 (Rutgers).

Josh Luchini of North Allegheny played for the boys team in ‘17. Max Silberg, who spent a year at Fox Chapel before transferring to The Kiski School, played in the ‘16 game.

This year’s WPIAL nominees are:

Boys

Chad Eldridge, defender, South Fayette

Joey Fonagy, forward, Canon-McMillan

Cole Kaforey, defender, Franklin Regional

Michael Sullivan, forward, Deer Lakes

Full boys list here.

Girls

Lacey Bernick, midfielder, Norwin

Jillian Butchki, forward, Belle Vernon

Megan Donnelly, forward, Pine-Richland

Ellie Coffield, midfielder, Mars

Hannah Henn, forward, Oakland Catholic

Kaitlyn Kauffman, forward, Norwin

MacKenzie Leeder, midfielder, Mt. Pleasant

Lucy Ream, midfielder, Fox Chapel

Melissa Riggins, midfielder, Shady Side Academy

Sarah Schupansky, forward, North Allegheny

Full girls list here.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

More High School Soccer Boys

Another shutout sends Bentworth boys into 1st PIAA championship game
High school roundup for Nov. 12, 2024: Moon lands in state title game for 1st time since ’85
What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024: Soccer, volleyball teams set sights on reaching state finals
Westmoreland high school notebook: Big 5/6 recognizes area soccer, volleyball players and coaches
3 WPIAL boys soccer teams set for PIAA semifinal matchups