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Salisbury, Albright top local all-state recognition By TIM PYLE Mail Tribune Colleen Salisbury and Al Albright were the local athletes awarded the state's highest prep soccer honor Tuesday when the all-state soccer teams were released. Salisbury, a senior central midfielder for South Medford, earned Class 4A girls first-team recognition. Albright, a senior sweeper for Phoenix, received first-team acclaim for Class 3A/2A/1A boys. There were 13 other Southern Oregon standouts honored. In Class 4A boys, Southern Oregon Conference player of the year Luis Garcia, a senior forward from Klamath Union, made first-team all-state for the second straight year. KU senior right midfielder Krister Balme was named to the third team, as was Grants Pass senior goalkeeper Matt Lamont. Ashland senior forward Scott Beaver received honorable mention. In 3A/2A/1A boys, Phoenix senior central midfielder John Hendricks was a second-team selection. Sweeper Trevor Nowak and midfielder Irie Spann of Hidden Valley were named to the third team, and teammate Tim VanderStoel, a senior goalkeeper, earned honorable mention. For 3A/2A/1A girls, North Valley senior forward Malloree Enoch was a first-team pick. Senior central midfielder Helen Shorland of Phoenix made the third team, and St. Mary's Margo Chamberlain (senior central midfielder) and Cascade Christian's Carrie Longan (junior midfielder) and Victoria Cotta (junior midfielder) were awarded honorable mention. Salisbury, voted the SOC girls player of the year by league coaches after leading the Panthers to a 7-0 conference campaign, made the transition from forward to midfielder for her senior season. South Medford head coach Buzz Thielemann believes the move helped Salisbury, who was first-team all-SOC at forward as a junior, develop into one of the state's elite playmakers. "Unquestionably," Thielemann said of ranking Salisbury among the state's best. "I think she blossomed as a midfielder." Salisbury, who is talking to Division I-A programs such as Portland, Oregon State and St. Mary's about playing collegiate soccer, said the all-state honor was something she'd been striving toward. "It was just an awesome feeling," said Salisbury, who scored 10 goals and accumulated 14 assists this fall. "It's been a goal of mine for a long time." She found out about a week ago she had been chosen for the first team, but she still could hardly wait to see the proof in Tuesday's edition of The Oregonian. "I was on my way to school and I knew that my school library had it, so I went in there right away," Salisbury said. "And my mom came home with like 10 copies." Albright, named most valuable player of District 6 after Phoenix shared the title with Hidden Valley, has been highly regarded throughout the state since his sophomore season, according to Pirates head coach Dennis Flenner. "The last three seasons, everybody we've played, the coaches have known who Al is," Flenner said. "I don't know how close he was to being state MVP, but I bet it wasn't too far off." Albright didn't know of the honor until classmates informed him at school Tuesday. "It's pretty cool," he said. "I was just like, 'What?' I was just happy." Albright, who said he most likely will be playing at Santa Rosa Junior College in California come this fall, realized his individual prep goal when he was named the district MVP. "That's what I wanted to do," said the sweeper, whose staunch defense and steady ball skills helped Phoenix to a No. 1 state ranking for much of the fall. "We only got to the third round of state (where the Pirates lost, 2-1, to eventual state champion Junction City), so I wasn't sure I would get first-team all-state." Teammate Hendricks scored 24 goals and added 13 assists this fall, and Flenner and Albright both believe Hendricks should have also earned a first-team nod. "John Hendricks, one of the most dynamic player I've ever coached, is second team, and that's a hard pill for me to swallow," Flenner said. "One of the hard things for John is our early demise in the quarterfinals (of state). ... And it's really, really hard to gain attention amongst 80 (Class 3A/2A/1A) schools." Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.