Thursday, November 14, 1991
Four booters make All-Star team
b Dan Zahniser
The Collegian
Four members of the Penn
State-Behrend soccer team were
selected as conference All-Stars
by the Western Pennsylvania
Soccer Conference (WPSC).
The conference includes 12
teams in two divisions. The
Lions of Coach Dennis Grace are
members of the North Division.
Junior backs Shon Fleming
(Peters Township HS,
Pittsburgh), Rick Nese (Penn
Hills HS, Pittsburgh), senior
back Chris Filoon (Plum HS,
Pittsburgh) and senior forward
Vince Pedraza (Fairfax, VA),
were selected to the All-Star
team.
The North competed against
the South, on Wednesday, Nov.
13 at 2:30 p.m. at Slippery Rock
University.
"I can't believe it, it's a great
honor to me and the other three
to represent Bchrend in a good
way," stated Fleming.
"I've been here for four years
and it's definitely an honor for
me," said Pedraza, "it's a nice
way to end my soccer career at
Bchrend."
The players had to adjust this
year to first year Head Coach
Grace and his system. Once they
got underway, though, they
learned and developed from his
experience and methods.
"Coach Grace helped me and
everyone a lot and taught us more
about the game," commented
Fleming.
"I'd like to thank Coach Grace
because his attitude made me
work harder during the games,
even through injuries," said
Filoon.
"I'm here because of how coach
helped me to grow as a player,"
said Nese, "I'm also here because
of Chris Filoon and Shon
Fleming, we're like clockwork."
With four players on the team
that work well together, Behrend
should have a lot to offer and add
to the (WPSC) All-Star team.
"With Rick Nese, Shon
Fleming, and Chris Filoon we
Just try it: Senior Chris Filoon shows his soccer abilities Better stand back:
by dribbling past his opponent and heading toward the goal. the ball down field.
played a sweeper double stopper
all year and that gave them an
opportunity to learn each other's
style and gave them versatility,"
said Coach Grace. "That will give
the all-star team a strong
backfield."
Add Behrend's own scoring
threat in Pcdraza and the Lions
are well represented.
"Vinnic is an extremely
dangerous frontrunner, he dictates
more creativity than the other
three and isn't afraid to challenge
the opponents for a score," added
Coach Grace. "Truthfully, I think
they'll be very successful and add
a great deal."
All four boozers have their own
style of play but all combine
their skill with hard work and
hustle.
"Hard work always pays off,"
stated Nese.
"Rick is extremely determined
and aggresive. He has an
excellent attitude and work rate
and is very versatile, we moved
him around to where we needed
him all year. He leads verbally as
well as by his actions,"
commented Coach Grace.
"With Rick and Shon coming
back next year, it makes me feel
very comfortable to have a strong
future," continued Grace.
"Shon reads the game
extremely well and it is
extremely difficult for someone
to knock him off the ball. He has
great patience and knowledge of
the game. He's very tough
defensively as well as physically
and mentally," said Grace.
"Chris's work ethic, attitude,
athleticism, and knowledge of the
game has helped him become the
player he is. He's very very
hardnosed and unyielding, he has
a personality that every great
back has. He's done a heck of a
job for us and and we're going to
miss him sorely as well as
Vinnie."
"I'm looking forward to seeing
Chris and Vinnie play their last
time and represent Behrend, I'm
very proud of them. I have every
confidence that they're all going
to play extremely well."
It is a good way to end a fine
ports
Greg Geibel/The Collegian
Dangerous: Senior Vince Pedraza drives the ball past a defender
during a regular season game.
season where the record was not
important but the learning was.
"The fact that four of our
players made the All-Star team
doesn't reflect our season, the
games were close and could have
easily gone in our favor," said
reg Geibel/The Collegian
Fi loon
"Four of us making it showed
that our hard work paid off and
proved that we played well as a
team," added Fleming, "we're
going to keep up the good work
and hopefully we'll have a
Junior Shon Fleming prepares to boot
Page 11
winning season with our
returning players and new
recruits."
"I wish I could return next year
because we'll certainly be a
strong team," said Pedraza.
Greg Geibel/The Colleßian