Like the 12th Region, the 2019 Advocate-Messenger All-Area boys soccer team was dominated by Danville.

Led by Player of the Year Ethan Redmond and Keeper of the Year Keeton Burnside, 2019 Coach of the Year Brent Beauman’s squad had five players make the 2019 All-Area Team.

From Danville, Remond and Burnside are joined by Briar Sanders, Gabe Cisneros and Seth Brunner. Caden Ferrell is the lone representative from Boyle County. Lincoln County is represented by Trey Cummins, Hawk Randall and Calvin Randall. Mercer County’s Hunter Booth and James Johnston earned a spot on the team. And Garrard County’s Connor Warren rounds out the squad.

Ethan Redmond Redmond commanded the attention of everybody at a Danville soccer match this year. After making the move from defensive centerback up into the midfield, Redmond would go on to lead the team and the region in goals with 30 — good for 19th statewide. That number is more impressive considering that it wasn’t until the third game of the year that Redmond put one in the net. Redmond also ranked third on the team with 13 assists.

Redmond’s combination of speed, skill and strength meant that he was going to be the focus of any opposing coach’s gameplan against the Admirals, and even still was able to catch teams off guard with his speed — and even surprise his own coach by year’s end. His ability also allowed coach Beauman to remain calm even when his team was behind in games.

Redmond was also named first team All-State as well as first team Academic All-State. Earlier in the week, he was named Advocate-Messenger All-Area Player of the Year.

Briar Sanders Sanders is the most prolific passer in Danville soccer history. His 64 career assists ranks best all-time in the school’s history. And he’s been doing it ever since he was a freshman.

This year marked the first time he didn’t lead the team in assists in his entire career at Danville, and he finished one assist off the lead with 18. That mark was good for 18th statewide and second in the region. He also contributed nine goals to bring his point total to 36 — good for third on the team.

In the regional championship, Sanders gave the Admirals a first half lead over West Jessamine with one of the most heads up plays of the year. From about 40-50 yards out, Sanders saw the Colts’ keeper Collin McKibben playing up in the box. He set and fired a shot that drifted just over McKibben’s fingers and landed in the back of the net.

Danville coach Brent Beauman credited Sanders with not just passing ability, but also his leadership skills to make his teammates better.

Sanders earned second team All-State honors and made first team Academic All-State as well.

Gabe Cisneros “If you know anything about soccer you’re going to notice Gabe quickly.” 

That’s what Beauman said about his senior after Cisneros scored the Golden Goal over West Jessamine to send the Admirals to state.

“Gabe is a phenomenal player. He’s going to do what the team needs and what we ask him to do. That means sometimes the spotlight doesn’t fall on him,” Beauman added. “His touch, his passing, his shooting. But his motor. He never stops moving. That’s huge in the game of soccer.”

Cisneros’ 19 assists this year is the reason Sanders failed to lead the team in the category for the first time in his career. And Cisneros added 16 goals to the mix, for 51 points — second on the team.

Ciserno’s assist total places him atop the region as well and 14th in the state. He and Sanders were the only 12th region players in the top 30 statewide.

Cisneros was named to the first team Academic All-State and earned honorable mention for the All-State team.

Seth Brunner Brunner was one of the primary reasons that Beauman felt comfortable with moving Ethan Redmond to the midfield.

The senior took over the center position in Danville’s defense and filled the role splendidly, helping lead the team to 10 shutouts.

Brunner was also able to get into the mix offensively for the Admirals. His totals of six goals and three assists may not sound as impressive as some of the other players on the All-Area Team, but when considering that Brunner put those numbers up from the defensive third it adds context.

Brunner was also instrumental as a leader for the Admirals as they played with a defensive group largely comprised of underclassmen.

The senior was a captain for Danville and was named to the first team Academic All-State.

Caden Ferrell Ferrel is the lone representative for the Boyle County Rebels on the All-Area Team this year and it’s a well deserved honor.

The junior led the Rebels in both goals (21) and assists (eight).

“Firstly, congratulations to him. He’s a special kind of player around the goal,” Boyle coach Cris McMann said about the junior. “He’s got very good ball control and a really accurate shot. He’s good. He’s dangerous around the net and very quick. Great balance and that kind of stuff, he’s very fun to coach.”

That talent comes from a love of the game that has been present in Ferrell from a young age.

“I taught him in second grade. He was making YouTube videos teaching people to do tricks with the ball back then,” McMann said. “He absolutely loves the game.”

Trey Cummins Watch a Lincoln County boys soccer game for any amount of time and it won’t take long for you to notice Cummins. The first thing you’ll probably notice is his hair, but once he starts moving, his speed, quickness and talent jump off the pitch at you.

Cummins led the 45th District’s No. 2 seed in both goals (25) and assists (14) and was just an absolutely dynamic player with the ball. 

Hawk Randall Randall comprised Lincoln’s dynamic duo that teams had to gameplan for. 

Second on the team in goals with 16, and third with three assists, Randall was as instrumental in the Patriots success as anyone.

Together with Cummins, Randall led an explosive offense for a Lincoln team that didn’t lose a game until a Sept 12 matchup with Danville — a full month and twelve games into the year.

The Patriots would only go on to lose two more games in the regular season.

Calvin Randall What Cummins and Hawk were on the offensive side of the field, Calvin Randall was on the defensive side of the field. 

The Patriots had seven shutouts on the season and only allowed 27 goals. A lot of that was credit to center back Calvin Randall. His offensive numbers don’t look great by comparison to the rest of the team — a single goal and assist each — but he was instrumental in protecting the net of one of the 12th Region’s best teams.

Hunter Booth Booth was one of the captains for Mercer County and was their offensive state. Averaging more than a goal a game, and scoring 19 on the year, Booth led his team to the regional tournament.

In the first round, the Titans came up short in an overtime loss to Somerset, but Booth scored both of the team’s goals, and gave them a chance to win at the end.

He started three years for the Titans, and was named to both the All-District and All-Region Tournament teams.

James Johnston Johnston has started all three years he’s been at Mercer County, and was the only captain that wasn’t a senior this year.

Like Calvin Randall and Seth Brunner, he makes the list for his defense rather than his offense. From the center back position, Johnston scored only a single goal, but was the leader of a defense that allowed 56 goals and had four shutouts.

Connor Warren It wasn’t a great year for Garrard County’s boys soccer team, but Connor Warren was a bright spot for the team. 

The lone sophomore on the All-Area Team, Warren earned his spot by scoring five of the Golden Lions nine goals on the year and having an assist on another goal.

Warren will look to be the leader of the Garrard boys soccer team in the 2020 season.

Keeton Burnside Burnside was not just the best keeper in the 12th Region, he was among the very best in the state.

His 10 shutouts ranked best in the region and sixth overall in the state. With him in net, the Admirals only allowed 35 goals on the year, with Burnside averaging a shutout almost half of the games played.

His performance on the year earned him an honorable mention nod for the All-State team and his performance in the classroom earned him Academic All-State first team honors.

 

Honorable Mention

 

Danville’s Remi Forlevil, Lincoln’s Bricen Alcorn and Carter Tillet, Mercer County’s Jamie Bordeaux and Sammy Berger and Casey County’s Kevin Cuin all earned honorable mention nods from coaches in the area.