TCPalm Winter All-Area: Meet the area's top stars in boys soccer from the 2023-24 season
The TCPalm Winter All-Area season has finally arrived as the Treasure Coast’s top athletes and coaches from basketball, wrestling and more will be honored throughout the week.
Today, we take a look at our winners in boys soccer.
Centennial was the cream of the crop this past season as the team suffered only one regular-season defeat and came up clutch en route to its third district title in the past four years. The Eagles are well-represented, as is South Fork. The Bulldogs doubled their win total from a year ago behind a prolific scorer and passer.
Without further ado, here are this season’s Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, All-Area First Team and players who received honorable mention. Selections were made by the TCPalm sports staff based on coach nominations, total stats, average stats, accolades and overall team success.
Player of the Year
Matias Mendoza, South Fork
As the Bulldogs enjoyed a turnaround season, Mendoza was largely responsible for the team’s 26-goal improvement from the prior season. The senior had a hand in 41 of the team’s 47 goals during the 2023-24 campaign and finished with Bulldog-highs of 18 goals — twice as many as his nearest teammate, and 23 assists, which was good for ninth in the entire state. Mendoza was selected to the FACA All-Star Game.
Coach of the Year
Douglas Black, St. Lucie West Centennial
Faced with tragedy at the beginning of the season and hit with the impending loss of a loved one toward the end, Black navigated the Eagles through severe adversity en route to their third district title in four years. Centennial suffered only two defeats during the 2023-24 campaign.
All-Area First Team
Niccolo Antonini, Tradition Prep
Year: Senior
Highlights: Antonini tied for the area lead in scoring with 29 goals to go with seven assists. He scored hat tricks in four matches, including a five-goal performance in a win against Somerset Prep.
Vincent Bajis, Martin County
Year: Senior
Highlights: A senior captain for the Tigers, Bajis was impactful as a midfielder capable of pushing the ball up the field while delivering passes on target. He finished tied for the team lead with four assists.
Dylan Daniel, Fort Pierce Central
Year: Senior
Highlights: Entering the season with just three career goals, the striker quadrupled that total as part of a stellar senior campaign. He finished with team highs of 12 goals and nine assists. The Cobras never dropped a game where Daniel put the ball into the back of the net.
Julian Garcia, St. Lucie West Centennial
Year: Junior
Highlights: Eagles head coach Douglas Black described Garcia as “skillful beyond words.” Showcasing tremendous touch and technical ability on a nightly basis, the junior was the leader of the central midfield and finished tied atop the team with five goals.
Santiago Gonzalez, Okeechobee
Year: Junior
Highlights: One of the three area players selected to the FACA All-Star Game, Gonzalez was the best defender for a Brahmans squad that racked up 10 wins, relinquished 19 goals and advanced to the District 13-5A Final. Offensively, the senior captain put in three goals this season.
Gavin Harte, Jensen Beach
Year: Senior
Highlights: Featuring a school-record eight-goal performance against Clewiston, the senior was a threat to score any time the ball touched his feet. Harte finished with 29 goals and 13 assists to lead the Falcons to a District 13-4A Final appearance.
Adrian Hammond, St. Lucie West Centennial
Year: Senior
Highlights: Hammond was often matched against the opponent’s best scorer, and many times he shut them down. The senior was the top defender on the area’s top defense, which only gave up 14 goals in 15 matches.
Matias Mendoza, South Fork
Year: Senior
Highlights: Mendoza becomes the Bulldogs’ first Player of the Year since Emmanuel Andres in 2016.
Fernando Navarro, South Fork
Year: Junior
Highlights: Described as a “key to the team’s success” by head coach Chris Hawley, Navarro was a strong player in the middle of the Bulldogs defense that allowed 25 goals in 23 matches. He served as a team captain.
Jorge Rojas, St. Lucie West Centennial
Year: Senior
Highlights: A four-year starter, Rojas finished with 73 saves and a .981 goals against average in 14 matches. But it’s his work during the postseason that earns the senior captain the nod. Rojas recorded 18 saves, many of which in spectacular fashion, during back-to-back shutouts during the District 10-7A tournament to lead the Eagles to their third district title in four years.
Phyllip Velasquez, Port St. Lucie
Year: Senior
Highlights: Goals were aplenty out of this Jaguars forward, as he led the team with 18 goals and 43 points. Velasquez’s scoring output directly resulted in wins, as the senior put up a tally in each of PSL’s victories. At year’s end, he was selected to participate in the FACA All-Star Game.
Honorable Mention
Pato Argote, St. Edward’s
Josiah Avellaneda, Lincoln Park Academy
John Bagocius, South Fork
Nathan Brink, Master’s Academy
Callum Buck, Vero Beach
Chris Djambazian, St. Lucie West Centennial
Jesus Esquivel, Fort Pierce Central
Ramiro Gamez, St. Lucie West Centennial
Manuel German de Leon, Treasure Coast
Eric Lefort, Pine School
Victor Lopez, Vero Beach
Austin Lott, Martin County
Andy Moncada, Port St. Lucie
Leonel Perdomo Nunez, Vero Beach
Nicolas Payen, Fort Pierce Central
Cash Terrio, South Fork - AS
Julian Walby, Treasure Coast
Jean Widmaieur, Port St. Lucie
Tony Zamore, Okeechobee
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at (772) 985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 2023-24 TCPalm Winter All-Area: Who was the Boys Soccer Player of the Year?
