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Freshman Cervantes heads up WSCA All-State team

06/21/2013, 12:00am CDT
By ERIC ANDERSON
Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association

John Burke has seen plenty of talented players during his 19 years as Waukesha Catholic Memorial girls soccer coach.

But he's never seen a freshman like Emily Cervantes – not even Leslie Osborne, the former Crusaders star who went on to play for the U.S. women's national team and plays in the National Women's Soccer League.

"I've been blessed, I was able to coach Leslie and now Emily throughout their youth careers and into high school," Burke said. "Emily right now is, at her freshman year, at a higher level than any player I've ever seen at her freshman year.

"Now, Leslie developed throughout her high school career and by the time she was a senior, she was a world-class player. ... But if you compare Emily as a freshman and Leslie as a freshman, Emily had a bigger impact than even Leslie."

The Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association recognized that impact, too, naming Cervantes its state player of the year.

The forward scored 50 goals for the WIAA Division 2 state champion Crusaders (23-0-1), who finished the season ranked 11th in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. She was one of two freshmen named to the First Eleven of the WSCA All-State team, joined by Waunakee defender Jada Dayne – the daughter of former University of Wisconsin football star Ron Dayne.

Cedarburg, which beat Waukesha West 4-1 on Saturday to win its first Division 1 state title, was the only team with two players on the 11-member first team: Josee Stiever, a Minnesota recruit, and fellow senior midfielder Anny West, who is headed to UW-Milwaukee.

Stiever was the WSCA Player of the Year in 2012 and the Gatorade Wisconsin Player of the Year in both 2012 and '13, and was one of three repeat selections on the top team along with Eau Claire Memorial senior midfielder Meg Van De Loo (31 goals, 19 assists) and Kimberly senior midfielder Sydney Buss, a UW-Green Bay recruit.

Middleton goalkeeper Meghan Ledin and Madison Memorial midfielder Mary Erikson, who were rivals in the Big Eight Conference and will continue to oppose each other in the Big Ten Conference, also made the first team. Ledin will play at UW starting in the fall, while Erikson is off to Northwestern.

Brookfield Central senior Sarah Fotsch joined Dayne as the only defenders on the top team – she is entering the Air Force Academy and reportedly is considering walking on to the Falcons' soccer team. Two juniors rounded out the first-team selections: Menomonee Falls midfielder Anna Smalley and Waukesha West forward Katie Grall, who led the Wolverines with 21 goals and recently committed to Loyola (Ill.) for 2014.

Burke pointed to the May 21 match between Catholic Memorial and Waukesha West as a big one for Cervantes, who had four goals as the Crusaders posted a 5-1 victory in the Classic 8 Conference game. Like many teams did, the Wolverines paid a lot of attention to the freshman striker.

"She's just constantly getting battered and she just gets up and scored four goals," he said. "That game, I think, showed everyone what they need to know about the quality of this kid. She was on the ground over and over and over in that game and just kept getting up and doing special things."

Cervantes, who scored in 19 of Catholic Memorial's 24 matches, recently was invited to the Puma Women's Elite Showcase in Orlando, Fla., which starts July 16 and features the country's top freshman and sophomore players. Asked about Cervantes' qualities, Burke had plenty to say.

"Her intelligence and creativity, her ability to understand how to position herself, the quality of her runs, the shapes of her runs, her ability to see opportunities – and this is what reminds me of Leslie – her ability to see options that mere mortals don't see," he said.

"Emily is just a breath of fresh air. She's an artist, and a lot of fun to watch."

2013 WSCA All-State First Eleven

Pos. Name School Year
GK Meghan Ledin Middleton Sr.
D Sarah Fotsch Brookfield Central Sr.
D Jada Dayne Waunakee Fr.
M Sydney Buss Kimberly Sr.
M Mary Erikson Madison Memorial Sr.
M Anna Smalley Menomonee Falls Jr.
M Josee Stiever Cedarburg Sr.
M Meg Van De Loo Eau Claire Memorial Sr.
M Anny West Cedarburg Sr.
F Emily Cervantes Waukesha Catholic Memorial Fr.
F Katie Grall Waukesha West Jr.

Player of the Year: Emily Cervantes, Waukesha Catholic Memorial

2013 WSCA All-State BEST OF THE REST

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Tag(s): Prep Girls