Shabani, Emo awarded with top Section V Boys’ Soccer honors

By CARSON WERNER

Aquinas senior Ali Shabani led the Li’l Irish to an undefeated regular season while Hornell’s Jack Emo topped the scoring leaderboard for Section V. The seniors led their teams to sectional titles in 2023 and were granted top honors from Section V Boys’ Soccer this past week.

With eight tallies and 19 assists through 19 games this season, Shabani was named the Ronald Zorn Large School Player of the Year. He registered at least a point in all but four games through sectionals. Aquinas, 18-0-2, currently awaits Westhill (III) in the New York State Class A semifinal this Friday, Nov. 10th.

Jeff Farnsworth Small School Player of the Year, Emo led all of Section V with 37 goals and total points (85) which included 11 assists over 18 games. The forward put together 11 multi-goal games this year, including six hat tricks and three games with four or more goals. Emo found the back of the net in 15-of-18 games and registered a point in all but one game through the end of sectionals.

Shabani and Emo headed the list of top Section V performers that included Monroe County Division I POTY Johnny Bianchi (Hilton), Monroe County Division II POTY Sebastian Guerrero (Gates-Chili) and Steuben County POTY Pauljonas Beth (Addison).

Fillmore’s Henry Sardina received the top honor for Allegany County while Williamson’s Nathan Burns was named Wayne County Player of the Year. Pittsford Sutherland’s Will Hanford garnered Monroe County Division III Player of the Year along with other league honors for Honeoye Falls-Lima’s Zach Zollo (Monroe County IV), Bishop Kearney/Chesterton’s Josh Baraka (Private-Parochial), Pavilion/York’s Kyan Tiede (Livingston County II), Keshequa’s Ian Hinrich (Livingston County III), Byron Bergen/Elba’s Colin Martin (Genesee), Wayne’s Nevin Crane (Finger Lakes East), Naples’ Matthew Lincoln (Finger Lakes West) and WOIS/Edison/Franklin/SOTA’s Pah Gay (RCAC).

VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM DENNIS JOYCE. 

 

Section V awarded Coach of the Year honors to Bill Teasdale (Fairport/Class AAA), Jody Wyant (Spencerport/Class AA), Josh Gleason (Aquinas/Class A), Peter Doell (Mynderse/Class B), Mike Yacuzzo (East Rochester/Class C1), Steve Spina & Nick Bailey (Dundee/Bradford/Class C2), Ryan Betrus (Naples/Class D).