Wisconsin Soccer Central

The Wisconsin Masonic All-Star Game, which features the state's top graduating senior soccer players, will celebrate a milestone in July. And for the 25th annual event, the rosters for the boys game were selected using a new format.

Coaches recently chose the Blue and Gold teams for the July 30 matches at UW-Whitewater's Fiskum Field using a draft.

The teams include eight players who made the first or second team on the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association all-state team last fall, and feature at least seven players who have committed to NCAA Division I programs for next fall.

Forwards Blake Carr (Hartland Arrowhead/UW) and Joe Schauer (Whitnall/Wright State), who combined for 115 goals last fall, will team up on the Blue squad along with midfielders Jake Demerath (Grafton/Creighton) and Cade Dombrowski (Whitnall/Marquette), who had a state-best 31 assists in 2015.

On the Gold side, striker Alec Philippe (Milwaukee Marquette/Wright State) – who shared WSCA Player of the Year honors with Carr – will be joined by all-state midfielder Dominick Mesdjian (Madison Memorial/UW).

Defender Dan Klundt (Hudson), midfielder Michael Russell (Milwaukee Marquette) and forwards Steven Abalos (Mount Horeb/North Central, Ill.) and Frankie Herrera (Madison West/Charleston, W.Va.), all second-team all-state selections, also were drafted onto the Gold roster. Midfielder Shawn Brown (Phillips), who set what is believed to be a state record with 67 goals last season and ranks fifth in state history with 117 career goals, further bolsters the attack for the Gold.

Some roster changes are to be expected before the game is played; for example, the Gold team doesn't have a recognized goalkeeper. Rosters for the girls match will be announced at a later date, along with the schedule of events and ticket information.

The all-star games are organized by the Wisconsin Masonic Soccer Foundation, and the week leading up to the matches typically includes a youth soccer camp, training sessions for the all-stars, a cook-out and a recognition breakfast.

(College commitments in parentheses if known)

BLUE
Goalkeeper: Ryan Berger, Racine Case (UW-Milwaukee).
Defenders: Danny Bader, Grafton; Zach Hanson, Oregon; Brett Howard, Lakeland; Trevor Johnson, Racine St. Catherine's (UW-Whitewater).
Midfielders: Jose Barron, Beloit Memorial (Madison College); Eric Crum, Mount Horeb (Luther, Iowa); Jake Demerath, Grafton (Creighton); Cade Dombrowski, Whitnall (Marquette); Ben Hengst, Cedarburg (Northwestern, Iowa); Brock Hohmann, Pewaukee; Chris Nelson, Lodi; Schuyler Tambling, McFarland.
Midfielder-forwards: Andrew Edwards, Cedarburg (St. Thomas, Minn.); Nehemiah Noriega, Sugar River; Ben Prange, Wauwatosa East.
Forwards: Blake Carr, Hartland Arrowhead (UW); Joe Schauer, Whitnall (Wright State).
Coaches: Kevin May, Oregon; Pat Sorenson, Cedarburg.

GOLD
Defenders: Matt Hansen, Pulaski; Dan Klundt, Hudson; Leo Villa, Green Bay East (UW-Parkside).
Midfielders: Brett Bocciardi, Racine Prairie School (Carthage); Shawn Brown, Phillips; Jacob Graham, Madison Edgewood; Dominick Mesdjian, Madison Memorial (UW); Michael Russell, Milwaukee Marquette; Alex Tomashek, Hartford.
Midfielder-forward: Devin Gallenberger, Howards Grove.
Forwards: Steven Abalos, Mount Horeb (North Central, Ill.); Derrick Grimm, Howards Grove; Ryan Hansen, Pulaski (St. Norbert); Frankie Herrera, Madison West (Charleston, W.Va.); Josue Luna, Milwaukee Tech; Alec Philippe, Milwaukee Marquette (Wright State).
Coaches: Derek Bell, Wisconsin Rapids; Manny Pollak, Schofield D.C. Everest.

Editor's note: This article has been edited from its original version to reflect information that became available after posting. Frankie Herrera of Madison West will be playing college soccer at Charleston, W.Va.