Philadelphia Area High School Boys Best XI

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Picking a Best XI is never an easy task, especially when considering all of the schools that play in Eastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and Delaware. Below is a snapshot of some of the players who stood out in boys high school soccer across the region in the 2023 season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":154828,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Pat VanLuvanee","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"100","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Central Bucks South","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"FC Delco","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"VanLuvanee was new to the high school game, joining part of the way through the season from the New York Red Bulls Academy. His presence was immediately felt and it was his heroics that led them to the doorstep of a state title. Though he conceded a pair of set pieces to Conestoga, including the overtime winner, he was sensational on high school soccer's biggest stage.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":154829,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='168922' first='Brady' last='Costin']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Conestoga","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"FC Delco","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"It's not easy getting accolades as a defender, but Costin's play leading Conestoga to the state title was hard to miss. His Olimpico equalized the game for the Pioneers in the final and his defensive work and leadership of the squad was ever present over the course of a very special season.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":151805,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Tyler Vagner","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Clearview","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"SJEB FC","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Vagner has been a rock for Clearview for several seasons but with him anchoring the back line and getting involved in the attack on set pieces he was able to lead his team to a South Jersey Coaches Cup title and a South Jersey Group 3 crown.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["9502"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Though Charter School of Wilmington didn't make it back to the state final, Newcombe was still a star for them anchoring the back line. He was also a shoe-in for all-state honors.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["61508"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"One of the biggest story lines in high school soccer going into the season was Diego Ramirez departing the Conestoga program for the Union Development Squad and Zellefrow electing to play his senior season back home. Zellefrow was with the Portland Timbers Academy for a couple years and his skill showed it. He jumped off the page as soon as you saw him patrolling the midfield. His passing, set pieces and toughness playing on turf fields in a very physical high school game was matchless. The final exclamation point of him scoring a free kick to win a state championship was something no one who witnessed it will ever forget.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":157585,"_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='152388' first='Jose' last='Rosario']-Martinez","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Conestoga","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Like the more well known Jose Martinez who plays professionally in Chester, [player_tooltip player_id='152388' first='Jose' last='Rosario'] was an enormous asset to his team this year. His ability to control the midfield defensively was critical on a team that had a lot of weapons and ways to beat teams going forward.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["157018"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":63406,"_player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Roskos didn't get to cap his stellar high school career with another state title but he heads to Bucknell next fall as one of the all-time South Jersey greats. His athleticism, competitive edge and ability to step up in moments when he was needed most made him a star.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_player_details_selected_featured_image":151797,"_player_evaluations_7_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_7_player_details_player_name":"Drew Heil","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_7_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_7_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_7_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_7_player_details_school":"Washington Township","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_7_player_details_club_team":"Real Jersey FC","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_7_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Like Zellefrow in Pennsylvania, Heil elected to play his senior season in high school and was able to put on quite a show doing it. When he was on the ball good things happened and he was able to dominate not only finding the back of the net himself but setting up teammates.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["9466"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"Salesianum winning another state title was barely a surprise but with so many departures after last year it was obvious that AG was going to need to carry the torch and lead a young team back. The silky smooth midfielder did just that. Even in a rare loss playing at Phelps School, his dynamism was on full display.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_player_details_selected_featured_image":154830,"_player_evaluations_9_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_9_player_details_player_name":"Riley Martin","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_9_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_9_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_9_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_9_player_details_school":"Springfield Township","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_9_player_details_club_team":"Hex FC","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_9_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_9_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"While Martin's high school career ended with a second straight heartbreak in overtime, he lived up to every expectation of him in leading his team back to within a goal of capturing a state title. A shifty forward with a tireless work rate and a nose for goal, Martin was the engine of a team that deserved better than back-to-back state final defeats.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["44526"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"Though he wasn't able to achieve the Philadelphia Catholic League title that has somehow eluded Father Judge the past few years, Cherif enjoyed another stellar campaign in high school leading the front line of a team that swept through the league regular season with an 11-0 record.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":11,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6581ee08dc41f"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bench</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nico Leedy, Sr., MF, Harriton<br>Raymond [player_tooltip player_id='175069' first='Junior' last='Diouf'], So., F, Phelps School<br>Ajani Dwyer, Sr., F, Washington Township<br>Kole Wintersteen, Sr., F, Conestoga<br>Cortez Cardone, Sr., MF, Delaware County Christian<br>Benny Goodrich, Sr., MF, Faith Christian Academy<br>[player_tooltip player_id='44499' first='Connor' last='Cresswell'], Sr., GK, Haverford School</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->