PLAYER OF THE YEAR
* Kelley Harris, Severna Park -- Harris' third year on the varsity proved to be his finest. A powerfully built midfielder, he scored 10 goals and assisted on 10 others. He also established a school record for career assists with 23. His 20th, which set the record, came on a corner kick against Chesapeake in the county championship game. Coach Don Gregg said Harris' desire separates him from most players. "Most of the time, when he picks up his intensity, it raises the team's level of play," he said. Chosen to the All-State first team, Harris led Severna Park to 13 wins and a No. 10 ranking in the metro area. He also gained the respect of opposing coaches who admired his skill and leadership. "He's a physical presence," said Broadneck coach Jon Braun, whose team was beaten by Severna Park, 2-0, with one of the goals coming off a corner kick by Harris. "He's quick, he's strong in the air and he's strong on the ground. He can carry the ball or distribute it. It's very difficult to get around him. He covers a lot of territory. He seems to be a nice, total package." Harris said his biggest contribution to the team was "holding down the middle the best I could, and distributing the ball to my teammates so they could move downfield and score."
COACH OF THE YEAR
* Earl Eckhardt, Chesapeake -- Eckhardt knew he had a good team, but wasn't sure about the competition. He liked Chesapeake's level of talent, but didn't know how some players would adapt to different positions. In the end, everything worked out splendidly for the No. 9 Cougars (14-3-1), who won their first region championship in the school's 18-year history. "I knew we had some kids who would work well together," Eckhardt said. "I had an inclination that this could be a very, very good year." Chesapeake had enough confidence and ability to defeat Severna Park, 2-1, in double-overtime in the 4A East Region semifinals. The teams played to a 3-3 tie in the county championship game, and the Falcons took a 1-0 decision Oct. 6. "These kids always felt they were just as good as them," Eckhardt said. "It wasn't that difficult to convince them of that." Eckhardt's biggest challenge was "putting the pieces in the right order, finding where kids were supposed to play." He moved Andy Dziuban (10 goals, four assists) to the front line to take better advantage of his scoring ability, he determined which sophomores were ready to play and worked them into the mix, and he rebuilt part of the defense. Then, he watched the
Cougars reward him with a trip to the state tournament.
FIRST TEAM AT A GLANCE
* Roger Alfaro, Annapolis, Sr., MF -- Alfaro, a four-year starter, led Annapolis in scoring with 10 goals and five assists, and he also led the Panthers to the 4A East Region final. "He played at a much faster rate of speed than in the past," said coach Dave Gehrdes, "and he had some spectacular goals." Alfaro was named honorable-mention All-State.
* J.T. Carhart, Severna Park, Sr., MF -- Coach Don Gregg calls Carhart "as good a wing midfielder as there is in the county." An honorable-mention All-State selection, Carhart registered seven goals and four assists, and he put "a lot of pressure on the other teams' defense," Gregg said. "He allowed the other kids to get scoring opportunities."
* Andy Dziuban, Chesapeake, Sr., F -- Dziuban "came on real strong," said coach Eckhardt, and finished with 10 goals and four assists. He began the year at midfield before switching to forward. He scored Chesapeake's only goal in a 4-1 loss to Churchill in the 4A state semifinals. "He just caught fire. He had a great season," Eckhardt said.
* Mike Eck, Northeast, Sr., MF -- Eck had a hand in nine of Northeast's 13 goals, scoring seven and assisting on two others. He was named second-team All-State. "He's an outstanding athlete," said coach Sam Tanner. "He's the most intense player I've ever coached. He hates to lose, hates to come in second."
* Ryan Frommelt, Chesapeake, Jr., F -- Called "an incredibly gifted athlete" by Eckhardt, Frommelt used his tremendous speed and anticipation to score 11 goals and assist on six others. "He really stretched out the other team's defense," Eckhardt said. "He created holes for everybody else." Frommelt made second-team All-State.
* Dan Gerbasi, Broadneck, Sr., F -- Playing on a team that relied mostly on defense, Gerbasi was Broadneck's greatest offensive source. He led the Bruins with six goals and five assists, involving him in "a third to half of our goal output," said coach Jon Braun. "He impressed a lot of people. He was being named with some of the top forwards in the county."
* Jim Himes, Severna Park, Sr., F -- A transfer from Annapolis Area Christian School, Himes proved he could play at a higher level by leading Severna Park in scoring with 13 goals and nine assists and making second-team All-State. "I didn't know what to expect, and he did a super job," Gregg said. Himes moved to midfield or sweeper when needed. "He's a super all-around player," Gregg said.
* Brad Limbacher, Broadneck, Soph., D -- A two-year starter at sweeper, Limbacher anchored Broadneck's stingy defense. And he keeps getting better with age, which makes his coach look excitedly toward the future. "He's a good athlete," Braun said, "and he's going to be an exceptional player."
* Blake Moore, Chesapeake, Sr., MF -- A first-team All-State selection, Moore tallied eight goals and eight assists. "He's probably the most gifted player I've had. He's got the whole package," Eckhardt said. "He's got a a great tactical awareness of where to put the ball. He was the hub, the center of the wheel." Moore scored on a penalty kick in the second overtime to give Chesapeake a 2-1 victory over Severna Park in the 4A East Region semifinals.
* John Pozniak, Meade, Sr., D -- Though he played stopper, Pozniak scored six goals and assisted on two others. Surrounded by sophomores, he was instrumental in holding together a young defense. "He kept us in a lot of games we might not have won," said coach Mike Dey.
* Charles Ross, Spalding, Sr., D/F -- Was there a more versatile player in the county than Ross (six goals, two assists), who played sweeper, forward and halfback? He was named to the All-State team. "He's the most creative offensive player in the county," said coach Rick Carlson.
* Chris Rippel, Severna Park, Sr., G -- Injured for most of last season, Rippel excelled this year. He was involved in nine shutouts, allowed 14 goals and made 113 saves -- many of them acrobatic. "He's very good in the air," Gregg said. "He directed things very well. He was like a general."
* John Smith, Chesapeake, Sr., G -- Smith returns to the All-County first team after making 124 saves and allowing 16 goals. He was chosen honorable-mention All-State. "He's the best goalie we've ever had," Eckhardt said. "He's outstanding technically and tactically. Of the goals he allowed, maybe one was actually his. The rest, no one could have saved."
* Matt Weibe, Spalding, Sr., D -- Weibe, who played both sweeper and halfback, scored two goals and had two assists. "He's an excellent defender," Carlson said. "He holds it all together for us. Without him, the other teams' scoring opportunities would increase dramatically. He makes a big
difference."
PICKING THE TEAMS
The Baltimore Sun 1994 All-Anne Arundel County boys and girls soccer teams were selected by Roch Eric Kubatko and Doug Brown, respectively.