Article Provided by: The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)Article Written by: Will ParchmanAlfredo Rivera, a senior forward from
Brookwood High School (Snellville, Ga.), and
Abby Harper, a freshman midfielder from
Randolph High School (Huntsville, Ala.), are the NSCAA/TopDrawerSoccer.com High School Players of the Week.
Rivera polished off his final prolific season at Brookwood in the most instrumental way possible - by smashing home a goal that won a state title. Brookwood entered its Class AAAAAA title game against Mill Creek last weekend 21-1, and Rivera had been the team's most consistent threat up top all season. The teams scored minutes apart in the final 10 minutes of the second half to send it to extra time, and Rivera scored the dagger in the first period that sent Brookwood to its first state title since 2004. He snapped off a mazy run and scored a goal his coach called "nasty" to put a dramatic end to a successful high school career.
Harper had a similarly massive impact on an equal stage. Randolph ran into familiar foe Guntersville in the Class 1A-4A semifinals last weekend, and the freshman was tasked with a role that belied her relative youthfulness and inexperience. She was up to the occasion, scoring an arcing goal just after halftime to hand Randolph a 2-1 lead before the teams ultimately went into a penalty shootout with the game knotted at 2-2. Harper then coolly drilled her penalty kick, allowing keeper Daria Zarzeka to make a pair of saves to send Randolph into the title game.
Other boys finalists include Phillip Galonsky (Atlanta International School, Atlanta, Georgia) and Parker Seegmiller (Riverton High School, Riverton, Utah). Other girls finalists include Arianna Gregg (St. Francis Catholic High School, Sacramento, California) and Haley Monts (Chapin High School, Chapin, South Carolina).
The NSCAA/TopDrawerSoccer.com High School Player of the Week honor is designed to highlight a selection of the nation's rising stars populating the high school ranks. Coaches are free to nominate a boys or girls player each week
through our submission form that can be found here. Be sure to include the school and any relevant stats from the previous week. The selection process will take into account a slew of factors from contribution to team results to individual accolades. Honorees are announced each Wednesday.
This represents the last installment until the award fires back up in August in time for the start of the 2014-2015 fall season.
About the NSCAA
Founded in 1941 and based in Kansas City, Kan., the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) is a non-profit organization with a mission to educate coaches, encourage excellence and serve the soccer community.
The NSCAA is the world's largest soccer coaches' organization with members at every level of the game. The membership is primarily made up of coaches, but also includes administrators, referees and others in the soccer industry. The NSCAA provides its members ways to enhance the game of soccer by providing a national education program, interaction and networking opportunities, and membership benefits.
For more information about the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, visit NSCAA.com.
For questions about the partnership between MaxPreps.com and the NSCAA, please contact Alisa Dancer adancer@maxpreps.com.
