Finalists for boys awards


 GAINESVILLE (May 6) -- The five finalists for the 2008 Florida Dairy
Farmers Boys’ Soccer Player and Coach-of-the-Year have been announced following balloting by a statewide panel of high school soccer coaches and prep media representatives.
Each of the finalists was the leading vote-getter in their classification, making them Player-of-the-Year or Coach-of-the-Year in that class. The awards are sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers, Inc., and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association to honor the top high school soccer player and coach for the 2007-08 season. The two winners will be announced following a final round of balloting by coaches and media.


The five finalists for the Boys’ Soccer Player-of-the-Year Award include:

Luis Yamashita, Miami Varela, senior, forward, 6A Player-of-the-Year.
Yamashita finished the season with 23 goals and seven assists, leading his team to a 28-1-1 record and the Class 6A state title.

Matt Montgomery, Tampa Wharton, senior, midfielder, 5A Player-of-the-Year.
Montgomery finished the season with 10 goals and four assists, helping lead his team to an 18-5-2 record and the Class 5A state title.

¬¬¬¬Filip Ivanov, Ponte Vedra Nease, junior, forward, 4A Player-of-the-Year.
Ivanov finished the season with 33 goals and 21 assists, leading his tem to a 25-5-2 record and the Class 4A state title.

¬¬ Javier Alvarez, Plantation American Heritage, senior, goalkeeper, 3A Player-of-the-Year.
Alvarez finished the season with 13 shutouts, 95 saves and 0.42 goals against average, helping lead his team to a 29-2-1 record and the Class 3A state title.

Ryan Griffin, Tampa Prep, senior, midfielder, 2A Player-of-the-Year.
Griffin finished the season with 15 goals and 14 assists, helping lead his team to 27-2-2 record and the Class 2A state title.




The five finalists for the 2008 Boys’ Soccer Coach-of-the-Year Award include:

Jose DaCosta, Tampa Prep, 15th year, Class 2A Coach-of-the-Year.
Tampa Prep finished the season with a 27-2-2 record and won the Class 2A state title. In his 14 years at Tampa Prep, Coach DaCosta’s teams have won six district titles, made four Final Four appearances and won three state titles (2005, 2007, 2008). He has a career record of 244-87-33.

Pat Villagran, Plantation American Heritage, 1st year, Class 3A Coach-of-the-Year.
American Heritage finished the season with a 29-2-1 record and won the Class 3A state title. Coach Villagran has a record of 29-2-1.


Ken Kirsch, Ponte Vedra Nease, 7th year, Class 4A Coach-of-the-Year.
Nease finished the season with a 25-5-2 record and won the Class 4A state championship. In his two years at Nease, Coach Kirsch’s teams have won two district titles, made two Final Four appearances and won back-to-back state titles (2007, 2008). He has a record of 44-8-4 at Nease and a career record of 91-52-12.


Scott Ware, Tampa Wharton, 4th year, Class 5A Coach-of-the-Year.
Wharton finished the season with an 18-5-2 record and won the Class 5A state championship. Coach Ware’s teams have won one district title, made one Final Four appearance and won one state title (2008). He has a career record of 53-18-5.


Luchi Gonzalez, Miami Varela, 1st year, Class 6A Coach-of-the-Year.
Miami Varela finished the season with a 28-1-1 record and won the Class 6A state championship. Coach Gonzalez has a record of 28-1-1.

The Florida Dairy Farmers Sports Awards Program exemplifies Dairy Farmers
Inc.'s commitment to the state's youth. While honoring the state's top athletes,
coaches and scholars in all 24 FHSAA-sanctioned sports for the 16th consecutive year, the program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.