Dons’ Fuerlinger named MSSC Player of the Year

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

MARSHFIELD — The Marshfield Columbus Catholic and Marshfield high school boys soccer teams put together impressive winning seasons, and it showed as the teams’ respective conferences recently released their all-conference squads for 2016.

Columbus Catholic, which won the Mid-State Soccer Conference with a perfect 12-0 record and finished 20-3 overall before losing in the WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinals, had five first-team and three second-team selections to the all-conference squad.

Marshfield finished in third place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference at 6-5-1 and ended up 12-8-4 overall after losing in a WIAA Division 1 sectional final, just one win away from the state tournament. The Tigers had a pair of first-team and one second-team all-WVC honorees.

Mid-State Soccer Conference

Marshfield Columbus Catholic senior Tyler Fuerlinger was named the Mid-State Soccer Conference Player of the Year and was one of five Dons picked to the all-conference first team.

Fuerlinger, Tim Gruenloh, Charles Payant, and Calvin Brown were unanimous first-team selections for the Dons. Ryan Dieringer was also a first-team selection. Fuerlinger and Brown also earned first-team all-conference accolades in 2015.

Nadim Torbey, Nick Malovrh, and goalkeeper Bailey Keffer were second-team honorees for the Dons.

Columbus Catholic’s Jeff Edwards was also named conference Coach of the Year after sharing the honor last season.

“This team was very successful this year in many aspects,” Edwards said. “We set school records in goals scored and assists given, shattering the previous records. We had six players score at least 10 goals and nine players had double-digit points scored. That speaks to the versatility we had on offense. Our defense led the way, though, allowing only 10 goals in the regular season. Everything started from the back and went from there. I’m extremely proud of each and every player for all of the hard work and dedication they put in since June.”

Wisconsin Valley Conference

Marshfield senior midfielder/defender Alec Hinson was a unanimous first-team selection, and fellow senior midfielder/defender Luke McCann also was voted to the first team of the 2016 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Soccer Team.

Hinson had three goals and four assists during conference play, moving to defense early in the year due to injuries and necessity.

Marshfield senior Alec Hinson was a unanimous first-team selection to the 2016 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Soccer Team, as voted on by the conference’s seven coaches.

“He is a great communicator and organizer on defense,” Marshfield coach Steve McCann said. “He wins balls in the air and takes great angles on balls. As a defender, Alec always seemed to make the right choice.”

Luke McCann finished fifth in the Valley with 21 total points (eight goals, five assists).

McCann also moved back to defensive midfielder midway through the season to help the Tigers build up their resistance.

“This gave Luke more space to operate, helped our team defensively, and gave us better ability to get the ball switched side-to-side,” Steve McCann said. “Luke has excellent vision on the field and helps our team to be able to maintain possession and control with smart, accurate passes.”

Senior Klaus Friedli was the Tigers’ lone second-team pick. He finished seventh in the conference in points with 17 (five goals, seven assists).

Senior Collin Nikolai and sophomore Isaac Wellens were honorable mention choices for Marshfield. Nikolai finished with seven goals and two assists during WVC play.

“We started to play really well at the end of September when we beat Wausau West 2-0 and ended up winning eight of our next 10,” Steve McCann said. “We ended up leading the WVC in scoring, shots, corner kicks, and fouls. We were really good at creating scoring chances. Our finishing was inconsistent but was definitely improving at the end of the year.”

2016 All-Mid-State Soccer Conference Team

First team: *Tyler Fuerlinger, Marshfield Columbus Catholic; *Tim Gruenloh, Marshfield Columbus Catholic; *Charles Payant, Marshfield Columbus Catholic; *Calvin Brown, Marshfield Columbus Catholic; *Harrison Varline, Wausau Newman Catholic; *Connor Molski, Stevens Point Pacelli; *Chris Jensen, Stevens Point Pacelli; *Connor Schubring, Wisconsin Valley Lutheran; Ryan Dieringer, Marshfield Columbus Catholic; David Burgess, Northland Lutheran; Jacob Price, Northland Lutheran; Brad Maes, Stevens Point Pacelli; Rhein Zuelsdorff, Wisconsin Valley Lutheran; Tekoya Cosby, Wisconsin Valley Lutheran.

Second team: Nadim Torbey, Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Bailey Keffer, Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Nick Malovrh, Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Chamong Lo, Wausau Newman Catholic; Fernando Juan, Wausau Newman Catholic; Corey Baron, Stevens Point Pacelli; Katie Craig, Tri-County; Coleton Schubring, Wisconsin Valley Lutheran; Austin Pagel, Wisconsin Valley Lutheran.

Honorable mention: Andrew Blanker, Stevens Point Pacelli; Grant Faulkner, Wisconsin Valley Lutheran.

Player of the Year: Tyler Fuerlinger, Marshfield Columbus Catholic.

Coach of the Year: Jeff Edwards, Marshfield Columbus Catholic.

*unanimous selection

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2016 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Soccer Team

First team: *Alex Pagel, sr., D.C. Everest (goalkeeper); *Jack Mittelsteadt, sr., D.C. Everest; *Alec Hinson, sr., Marshfield; *Joey Dorgan, sr., Stevens Point; *Pet Hefferan, sr., Stevens Point; *Adam Hahn, sr., Wausau East; *Jonah Bakunowicz, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; *Jack Kiiskila, jr., Wisconsin Rapids; Luke McCann, sr., Marshfield; Joe DeLoye, sr., Wausau West; Cullen Stangel, sr., Wausau West.

Second team: Matt Altmann, sr., Stevens Point (goalkeeper); Brennan Krieg, jr., D.C. Everest; Seth Jaglinski, sr., D.C. Everest; Austin Zettler, sr., Merrill; Jarett Jones, sr., Stevens Point; Klaus Friedli, sr., Marshfield; McKenon Diekroeger, sr., Stevens Point; Matt Lukasik, jr., D.C. Everest; Nate Napiwocki, sr., Stevens Point; Nick Lange, sr., Wausau East; Dylan Bassuener, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.

Honorable mention: Brayden McMahon, sr., Wausau West (goalkeeper); Gunnar Yonker, sr., D.C. Everest; Tamirat Knutson, fr., D.C. Everest; Keondre Porter, jr., Stevens Point; Ben Johnson, jr., Wausau West; Keegan Pulchinski, so., Wisconsin Rapids; Collin Nikolai, sr., Marshfield; Colin Lindvig, jr., Wisconsin Rapids; Zach Ostrowski, jr., D.C. Everest; Brendan Leahy, so., Stevens Point; Elkin Thao, jr., Wausau East; Isaac Wellens, so., Marshfield; Austin Burgener, sr., Merrill; Mark Raasch, jr., Wausau West; Bryson Einerson, jr., Wisconsin Rapids.

Player of the Year: Jack Mittelsteadt, sr., D.C. Everest.

*unanimous selection