Kovatch, Baldensperger lead All-Mon Valley stars
By the Mon Valley Independent
While we’re getting into the thick of the winter sports season, a new year brings a new group of fall sports all-star recognition.
The Fab 15 Soccer All-Star teams have morphed into the All-Mon Valley Soccer Team, and they’re kicking off the new year in the Mon Valley.
Like past seasons, there are six award winners for the boys and girls soccer season to pair with the annual all-star squads.
This year’s votes were cast by selected coaches and MVI Live and MVI Sports staff. The girls’ leadership award, named for “Moe” Rosensteel was selected from a group of nominees by Ed Rosensteel, Moe’s father and president of the Kaitlyn “Moe” Rosensteel Scholarship Foundation.
This year’s soccer season saw the Valley pick up a WPIAL championship, runner-up and a PIAA runner-up. Just additional chapters to the story of growth and strength of soccer in the Mon Valley.
Here are this year’s All-Mon Valley award winners:
Player of the Year – Boys
Trevor Kovatch, Belle Vernon
The junior set a program record with his 47 goals during the regular season and was the second-leading goal scorer in the WPIAL behind Jeannette’s Jordan Taylor.
Kovatch added a pair of goals in two playoff games for the Leopards, finishing the season with 49 overall. He earned All-WPIAL and All-Section honors.
Honorable mention: Arlo McIntyre, Charleroi; Ryan Moessner, Bentworth.
Player of the Year – Girls
Brooklyn Baldensperger –
Elizabeth Forward
Baldensperger scored 33 regular-season goals, finishing sixth in the WPIAL rankings. She added a goal in the Warriors’ playoff win over Hampton, as well. She was also an All-WPIAL and All-Section honoree.
Baldensperger led the team in scoring, but when senior Abigail Beinlich went down early on with a knee injury, Baldensperger was one of the Warriors that stepped up and picked up her leadership as well on the field.
Honorable mention: Bella Carroto, Charleroi; Sami Maglicco, Thomas Jefferson.
“Moe” Rosensteel
Leadership Award – Girls
Abigail Allan, South Allegheny
Leadership is sacrifice and most younbg leaders learn this as they go. What it looks like and how it impacts others.
Getting to learn about Abby Allan has been enjoyable the last couple of days.
Abby is described as the consummate teammate. She has a positive attitude, she’s funny and uses those attributes to pick up her teammates.
As most leaders are accustomed to, they lead by example and they are willing to sacrifice for the team. The “we before me” mentality. Abby was willing to give up the glory of goals for the much-overlooked role of defending. It was what was best for the team. Even when she was injured in a crucial game, she found her voice from the sideline.
South Allegheny head coach Andrew Dyson said, “She became an extension of our coaching staff and was there to keep motivating her teammates.”
Off the field, Abby continues providing leadership as a member of the Leadership Academy and PE Partners at SA.
Abby demonstrates in daily life “you can have everything you want in life, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” It’s a quote we believe in by Zig Ziglar.
Congrats to Abby Allan for being named this year’s MVI Moe Rosensteel Leadership Award winner.
– Ed Rosensteel
Honorable mention: Natalie Lamenza, Thomas Jefferson; Bella Carroto, Charleroi; Elizzabeth Wilson, Ringgold.
Excellence in Leadership – Boys
Ryan Colbert, Bentworth
Colbert was instrumental in leading a talented Bearcats squad to its first WPIAL title, beating section rival Charleroi in the Class 1A championship game.
His leadership was abundant in that game, as it was the entire season. He was named to the Class 1A All-WPIAL team and All-Section.
Nick Malarbi took over the job as head coach after former coach Gary Amos resigned. With the help of leadership shown by Colbert and his teammates, Malarbi’s transition from assistant coach to head coach was nearly seamless.
Honorable mention: Brayden Miller, Thomas Jefferson.
Def. Player of the Year – Boys
Andrew Vipperman, Bentworth
Vipperman was the leader of a stout Bearcat defense that came up big in its biggest challenges.
The Bearcats were seeded seventh overall in the WPIAL playoffs and beat the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds on their way to their first WPIAL championship.
Honorable mention: Mason Yeschenko, Belle Vernon; Owen Haywood, Ringgold; Jake Chambers, Charleroi.
Def. Player of the Year – Girls
Aryana Chiplaskey, Charleroi
Chiplaskey joined an offensively gifted Cougars team as a freshman this season and gave them a lockdown defender at the sweeper position.
With Chiplaskey anchoring the back line of defense at sweeper, the Charleroi unit allowed only 21 goals in 22 this season. Her speed, skill and vision, was an instrumental piece of the Cougars’ run to a section championship and the WPIAL playoffs this season. She picked up All-WPIAL recognition this season as well as All-Section honors.
Honorable mention: Megan Keturakis (Bentworth), Alyssa Terza (EF), Olivia Kristen (EF).
Coach of the Year – Girls
Andrew Dyson, S. Allegheny
A year after missing the playoffs, Dyson led a senior-laden Gladiator squad to the WPIAL playoffs in 2023. While they entered as the fourth-place team out of Section 2-1A, it was in the playoffs that Dyson shined.
The Gladiators were the No. 12 seed in the playoffs and defeated No. 5 Greensburg Central Catholic, 2-1, in overtime. As an encore, SA dealt No. 4 Winchester Thurston a 4-2 loss to push the Gladiators into the WPIAL semifinals.
The Gladiators lost in the semis, but advanced to the WPIAL consolation game where they fell to Springdale.
Honorable mention: Tom Cameron, Charleroi; Sotiri Tsourekis (Elizabeth Forward).
Coach of the Year – Boys
Nick Malarbi, Bentworth
Taking over a program, no matter how many players are returning, is never an easy task.
Malarbi jumped up from assistant to head coach for the Bearcats, leading Bentworth to its first-ever WPIAL championship.
In that game, the Bearcats rallied for a 3-2 overtime win after trailing 2-0 at the half.
Honorable mention: Jon Ducoli, Charleroi; Doug Finke, Elizabeth Forward.
Breakthrough Player – Boys
Ryan Moessner, Bentworth
For the second straight season, Moessner earns the breakthrough award.
This season, he showed he has the clutch gene in him and finished sixth in the WPIAL in goals with 33 in the regular season. He posted a lofty goal total playing with skillful talent all around him, exceeding preseason expectations.
He also received votes for Player of the Year and was named All-WPIAL.
Honorable mention: Dylan Klinger, Charleroi; Brandon Yeschenko, Belle Vernon.
Breakthrough Player – Girls
Sami Maglicco, T. Jefferson
An All-WPIAL performer, the sophomore led the Jaguars with 26 goals in the regular season. She was a big part of the Jaguars’ success, including a 17-game winning streak and a Section 3-3A section championship.
With Thomas Jefferson losing a number of contributors to graduation, Maglicco will be a key piece of their puzzle the next two seasons.
Honorable mention: Megan Keturakis, Bentworth; Caylin Seabol, Elizabeth Forward; Aryana Chiplaskey, Charleroi.
Goalkeeper of the Year – Girls
Addison Conrad, Charleroi
Conrad was the last line of defense for a Charleroi team that allowed barely under a goal per game. Starting as an inexperience goalie her freshman season, Conrad developed year after year into an All-WPIAL and All-Section performer in her senior season.
She made the routine saves and showed her ability to make the great saves either sliding or leaving her feet when necessary.
Honorable mention: Ella Lotz, South Allegheny; Emily Doleno, Ringgold.
Goalkeeper of the Year – Boys
Nate Mazon, Charleroi
Another year, another keeper award for the Cougars’ netminder.
Mazon helped lead the Cougars to a WPIAL and PIAA runner-up finish. Over the past few seasons, his ability to communicate with his back line and make the great saves has greatly improved.
He was a steadfast force in the net and will go down as one of the best ever in program history.
Honorable mention: Sam Wessel, Thomas Jefferson; Bryce Burkhart, Belle Vernon.
Boys All-Mon Valley Team
Trevor Kovatch BVA
Bryce Large Charleroi
Arlo McIntyre Charleroi
Ryan Moessner Bentworth
Nate Mazon Charleroi
Owen Haywood Ringgold
Brayden Miller TJ
Will Sinay EF
Ryan Colbert Bentworth
AJ Mejalli Serra Catholic
Jaxson Poziviak Serra Catholic
John Scott Bentworth
Dylan Klinger Charleroi
Nick Evans Ringgold
Andrew Vipperman Bentworth
Collin Holmes Serra Catholic
Jake Chambers Charleroi
Bryce Burkhart BVA
Girls All-Mon Valley Team
Sami Maglicco TJ
B Baldensperger EF
Natalie Lamenza TJ
McKenna DeUnger Charleroi
Bella Carroto Charleroi
Giovanna Ferraro EF
Imani Arnold Ringgold
Bella Moyer Bentworth
Abby Allan S. Allegheny
Megan Keturakis Bentworth
Ella Lotz S. Allegheny
Addison Conrad Charleroi
Sam Saylor Monessen (Cal)
Lydia Reith Serra Catholic
Aryana Chiplaskey Charleroi
Katarina Rhodes BVA
Olivia Della Lucia TJ
Elizzabeth Wilson Ringgold
