3 Butler County juniors named all-region
Making an All-Region high school soccer team is an exclusive honor. Doing so as a junior puts one in an even more distinguished light.
That's what three Butler County players have achieved. Slippery Rock forward Nick Kingerski and Seneca Valley midfielder Beaux Lizewski recently earned spots on the United Soccer Coaches East boys team while Mars defender Gwen Howell made the girls' squad.
Butler senior forward Landon Mohney, who was recently profiled as the Butler Eagle's Boys Soccer co-Player of the Year, was also named All-Region.USC divides the United States into six regions. The East Region includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Of the 66 boys named All-Region in the East, only six are juniors. The rest of the field includes 59 seniors and one sophomore.“I know not a lot of players receive this honor and it's very humbling,” said Lizewski, who helped Seneca Valley win the WPIAL title and reach the state championship game by scoring 11 goals and adding 19 assists.Kingerski showed a lot of promise as a sophomore with nine goals and six assists. He played a key role in helping the Rockets rebound from a 6-8-2 record in 2020 to a 12-4-3 record this fall. He contributed 21 goals and six assists this season.“His ability to win balls out of the air is very impressive,” said Slippery Rock coach Kyle Hopkins, “but he's also good with the ball at his feet and can score with his left or right foot. It comes from his desire to play and get better.”“Just having another year of experience really helped me improve this year,” Kingerski said. “There's a lot of chemistry on our team and that had a lot to do with us having a good season. I didn't expect this honor, but I appreciate it very much.”Lizewski could score more goals if asked to, but he was on a team with a number of players who could find the net. They needed someone to feed them the ball and Lizewski was more than willing to fill that role, one he is used to.“
When I was between 8 and 10 years old, I had a club coach, John Ball, who said my assists stuck out more than my goals.“I love assisting my teammates,” he said. “They elevate my play and I have to credit them for finishing and our coaches set us up for success.”His position in the midfield often requires Lizewski to focus on defense and he's just as strong in that aspect of his game.“He can stop a play almost before it starts, then break out and attack a team at the right spot,” Seneca Valley coach George Williams said. “His presence, level of skill and vision in the midfield are huge assets for us.”Howell is one of 10 juniors on the East girls team, which also features 40 seniors and a sophomore.Her play has helped Mars' girls maintain a truly exceptional run. She has started every game in her varsity career at center back, with the Planets winning three straight WPIAL titles, three straight state titles and compiling a combined record of 61-0-2 in that span.This season, Mars allowed a meager four goals.“Gwen's play is one of the biggest reasons for that,” Planets' coach Blair Gerlach said. “She's very consistent and is a tenacious defender. She covers a lot of ground and is fearless going into tackles.”Howell is a great example of what can become of great physical talent when combined with great coaching.“As I've gotten older, with the help of my coaches, I've been able to adapt to a physical style of play.“It's great to be part of a special program. It allows me to go out and be my best. It's an awesome environment.”
