Caesar Rodney coach Darrell Gravatt said he considers Chris McPoyle, right, as dangerous as any player in the state in one-on-one situations. He’s also fast with a strong left foot. Gravatt, though, said what really made McPoyle special was his leadership ability. (Delaware State News/Dave Chambers)[/caption]

A season ago, Caesar Rodney High had three pretty good goal-scorers on its Division I state finalist boys’ soccer squad.

With Chris McPoyle the only one of the three players returning this fall, opposing defenses knew who they had to stop.

But all that defensive attention didn’t keep the senior striker from netting a team-leading 26 goals and 14 assists for the Riders.

For his accomplishments, the state’s coaches named McPoyle the state’s third-best player on the DHSSCA’s All-State boys’ soccer team.

McPoyle was joined on the state’s Top XI by two other Henlopen Conference players: Cape Henlopen’s Jack Ashby (6th) and Sussex Tech’s Marlon Trejo (10th).

CR coach Darrell Gravatt said McPoyle’s talents make him difficult to shut down.

“I’m sure he got every team’s best defender or two,” said Gravatt. “A couple teams man marked him and he still led our team. He was definitely our go-to player from day one and all year.”

Gravatt said he considers McPoyle as dangerous as any player in the state in one-on-one situations. He’s also fast with a strong left foot.

Gravatt, though, said what really made McPoyle special was his leadership ability.

Despite having 14 seniors on the team last fall, McPoyle was a team captain as a junior. He was a captain again this season and finished as a four-year starter as the Riders went 11-5 and lost in the state quarterfinals.

“Not only is he a great soccer player and athlete, but he’s just a great person,” said Gravatt. “He didn’t get a card this year. He was just a leader every day in practice. He was always trying to do the right thing.”

A senior, Ashby was one of the big reasons that Cape Henlopen went 15-3 and reached the Division I state semifinals before falling to eventual champion Salesianum, 1-0.

An attacking midfielder, Ashby netted four game-winning goals among his 13 goals and 13 assists this season. He’ll continue his soccer career in college at Lynchburg, Va.

Vikings coach Patrick Kilby says Ashby logged more mileage during a game than any player he can remember.

“He has excellent pace and a work ethic that is matched by very few,” said Kilby. “On the defensive side, he is Cape’s best ball winner with his great intensity. On the attacking side, Jack is a very dangerous scoring threat, in and out, of the penalty box.

“His primary strength is the ability to get into attacking space with great dribble technique. Additionally, for his stature, he had the uncanny ability to win air balls with his timing and upper body strength. He is the most technically sound player on our team.”

Sussex Tech midfielder Trejo helped lead the Ravens to a 10-4-2 record and a berth in the Division I state quarterfinals.

The senior finished with 11 goals and seven assists this season. Sussex Tech coach Carlos Villa called Trejo one of the top five players he has coached in his 17 years at the school.

“He is a very creative player with the ability to score a great goal or create opportunities with well-timed passes,” Villa said about Trejo.

Boys’ soccer

All-State team

Top XI

Matt Dina, Sr.**    Appoquinimink

Ryan Sholes, Jr.*    Salesianum

Chris McPoyle, Sr.*    Caesar Rodney

Eamon O'Connor, Jr.*    Wilmington Charter

Steven Siegfried, Sr.*    Tower Hill

Jack Ashby, Sr.    Cape Henlopen

Diego Guzman, Sr.    Newark

Chris Carver, Sr.    St. Elizabeth

Daniel Rhoades, Sr.    Delaware Military

Marlon Trejo, Sr.    Sussex Tech

Gavin Campbell, Jr.    Salesianum

** National All-American

* Regional All-American

All-Representative

First team

Matt Dina, Sr.    Appoquinimink

Eamon O'Connor, Jr.    Wilmington Charter

Diego Guzman, Sr.    Newark

Lance Ksiazek, Sr.    Appoquimink

Kevin Castro, Sr.    Hodgson

Mitch Moran, Sr.    St. Georges

Tanner Fonjweng, Sr.    Glasgow

Joe Bogan, Sr.    Brandywine

Daniel Rhoades, Sr.    Delaware Military

Matthew McCurnin, Sr.    Archmere

Sean Murray, Jr.    Archmere

Chris McPoyle, Sr.    Caesar Rodney

Jack Ashby, Sr.    Cape Henlopen

Marlon Trejo, Sr.    Sussex Tech

McClain Smith, Jr.    Indian River

Patrick Mochiam, Jr.    Indian River

Pierre Madeus, Jr.    Seaford

Willian Noel Velasquez, Jr.    Woodbridge

Steven Siegfried, Sr.    Tower Hill

Justin Duncan, Sr.    St. Andrews

Sam Lee, Sr.    St. Andrews

Ryan Sholes, Jr.    Salesianum

Chris Carver, Sr.    St. Elizabeth

Jason Blackwell, Jr.    Salesianum

Gavin Ford, So.    Salesianum

Drew Mulcahy, Sr.    Cape Henlopen

Brian Shannon, Sr.    Wilmington Charter

Charles Doordan, Sr.    Caravel

GK-Gavin Campbell, Jr.    Salesianum

GK-Griffin Ott, Sr.    Polytech

Second team

Kevin Eriksen, Jr.    Wilmington Charter

Alexis Ayala, Jr.    William Penn

Jake Coale, Sr.    Newark

Stephane Ratsimbazafy, Sr.    Appoquimink

Kyle Fields, Sr.    St. Georges

Jose Parra, Sr.    McKean

Edwin Garcia-Alonso, Jr.    Hodgson

Matt Mitchell, So.    St. Georges

Jamie Andruzzi, Sr.    Delaware Military

Alex Schultz, Sr.    Archmere

Ronald Krischbaum, Jr.    Delaware Military

Jankiel Drane, Sr.    Polytech

Tommy Galluci, Sr.    Caesar Rodney

Davenson Dupervil, Jr.    Sussex Central

Derrick Bogan, Sr.    Milford

Johan Dejesus, Jr.    Indian River

Edgardo Velasquez, So.    Indian River

Drew Blewitt, Sr.    Delmar

Brett Anderson, Sr.    Tower Hill

Pat Haubert, Sr.    Wilmington Friends

Malcolm Johnson, So.    Tower Hill

Umar Mohammed, Jr.    Caravel

Michael Ziomek, Jr.    St. Mark's

Alex Hantman, Sr.    St. Elizabeth

Bryce Wallace, Jr.    Salesianum

Hadi Basma, So.    Appoquinimink

Brendan Hanrahan, So.    Salesianum

Jevani James, Sr.    William Penn

Will Connolly, Sr.    Wilmington Charter

Ian Walls, Sr.    Indian River

Third team

Tommaso Morrione, Sr.    Wilmington Charter

Owen Johansson, Jr.    Wilmington Charter

Travi Romano, Sr.    Appoquinimink

Daniel Addison, Jr.    Newark

Itunu Ogundipe, Jr.    Brandywine

Miguel Huertero, So.    Dickinson

Josh Moody, So.    St. Georges

Estaban Mendoza, Sr.    Hodgson

Christian Diamanty, Jr.    Wilmington Christian

Justin Broccoli, Jr.    Delaware Military

Justin Carroll, Sr.    Delaware Military

Steven Matalavage, Sr.    Cape Henlopen

Nick Hudson, Sr.    Sussex Tech

Grant Henry, Jr.    Dover

Wilder Gonzalez-Perez, Fr.    Laurel

Nate Riddle, Jr.    Sussex Academy

Antonio Ambrosion, Jr.    Seaford

Christian Reyna, Jr.    Woodbridge

Max Curschmann, Sr.    Sanford

Andrew Cercena, Jr.    Tower Hill

Lorenzo Bocchetti, So.    Tatnall

Bryan Hartman, Jr.    Salesianum

Mason Mostrom, Jr.    St. Mark's

Bryce Magee, So.    Red Lion Christian

Matt Sengphachanh, Jr.    Caravel

Josh Bennett, Sr.    Caesar Rodney

Cole Bouchard, Jr.    Salesianum

Oscar Cruz Osorio, So.    Indian River

GK-Chase Corbitt, Sr.    Caravel

GK-Anthony Hitchcock, Jr.    Sussex Tech

GK-Jason Sommer, So.    Appoquinimink