Cleveland’s Legendre, Sandia’s Gallegos head All-Metro soccer
Gabriel Legendre of Cleveland and Hannah Gallegos of Sandia headline this year’s Journal All-Metro soccer teams, which are unveiled today.
BOYS: Legendre, a junior forward, had 32 goals and 77 points — both of which led Class 5A — in the Storm’s state championship season.
He is one of three Cleveland players to be named to the Journal’s first team, along with senior midfielder Jairo Barreras — who tallied the game-winner, a penalty kick, in the second overtime last month to beat Mayfield in the final — and the anchor of the back line, Jake Lent-Koop.
La Cueva and Albuquerque High both had two first-team selections. Albuquerque High, 5A’s stingiest defensive side, had two players on the first team in senior goalkeeper Jose Sevilla, the latest in a a steady string of stellar players at that position for coach Lucien Starzynski, and defensive-minded midfielder Elias Reyes.
From the Bears, consistently productive forward Jake Eanes and defender Jason Lyons earned first-team notice.
That back line also includes Albuquerque Academy’s physical (6-foot-3) and savvy Aaron Hill, who will be playing at the Air Force Academy.
Volcano Vista’s Isai Rivas, who supplied so many timely goals this year, joins Legendre and Eanes up top, where there were a large pool of candidates for the Journal’s first and second teams. (The members of the second team also are listed above.)
The midfield is rounded out by St. Pius senior Mason Davis and Rio Rancho’s versatile Payton Sandoval.
GIRLS: Gallegos, bound for the University of Denver, capped off a magnificent career by leading the Matadors to the 5A state title last month. That included a memorable bicycle kick to beat Eldorado in the state quarterfinals. She also scored a goal in penalty kicks two days later in the state final against La Cueva.
Gallegos, who truthfully could have been named at any position on this team, leads the midfield group, where she is joined by Eldorado’s Sophia Roberts, La Cueva’s Deja Sandoval — the Bears’ most important player, coach Amber Ashcraft said — and Cibola’s Marah Rosato.
As with the boys, were was superb depth at the forward position in the metro area.
Up top, there is true firepower, led by Albuquerque Academy’s Eliza Mariner, her 62 goals and eyebrow-raising 138 points. She is going to play next at Cornell. Sandia’s Sydney Groth and Cibola junior Sydni Burrup are the other firstteam forwards.
Volcano Vista’s Dalis Bruce headlines the back line. Also on the first-team defense are Hannah Dahl of Eldorado and Erin Pickett of Albuquerque Academy.
La Cueva’s Emma Moore is the Journal’s first-team goalkeeper.
Sandoval (UT-San Antonio) and Roberts (Grand Canyon), like Gallegos and Mariner, have signed to play at Division I programs.