By PAUL GOTHAM
One player is continuing a line of program success. The other bridged a gap to the 1970s.
Alexander Grejda (Fairport) and Christopher Keller (Churchville-Chili) garnered 2025 All-America honors as announced recently by the United Soccer Coaches (USC).
Grejda led Fairport to back-to-back New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class AAA championship game appearances and an 18-1-0 mark. The senior anchored a back line that registered 11 shutouts on the season.
“It’s amazing,” Grejda said. “At the beginning of the year it was in the back of my mind, but it wasn’t really a goal. Now that it’s happened, it’s definitely a great feeling.”
He becomes the third Red Raider in four years and seventh in program history to receive the honor joining Ryan Mathis (2024), Myles Palmer (2022), Peter Critchlow (2016), Hunter Critchlow (2015), Guido Cristofori (1998) and Mark Fish (1986).
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM LAURA ACCIAIO.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM STEVEN TWARDZIK.
“With Ryan being a teammate of mine last year, it was cool to play with someone who had been named All-American. That does kind of put it in your mind that you have a shot.
“I feel honored to be included in conversations with those guys and some of the best players in the country as well.”
Bill Teasdale has been the head coach of the recent three All-American selections from Fairport.
“I feel fortunate,” the sixth-year coach said. “I feel blessed to have the caliber of players and the people. You talk to Alex Grejda, and he’s so humble. He’s a really, really nice kid.
“I’m blessed to have players and to have the families. The families play a part in it, too. They have to make a sacrifice and be dedicated.”
A calming presence for the Fairport defense, the 6-foot-3 center back became a target on set pieces for the offense, and he delivered six goals to go with one assist.
“He scored six goals this year all with his head,” Teasdale said. “Every goal was a head ball.”
A three-sport athlete, Grejda plays a guard/forward spot on the Fairport basketball team. He was also part of the Red Raiders’ 2024 baseball team that won a state title.
“I’ve never had a player who is as good tracking balls in the air as Alex, and I think it comes from baseball judging fly balls in the outfield,” Teasdale said. “It’s not just his height. It’s his ability to track the ball and knowing where it’s going to go.
“He wins everything in the air. It’s rare that he misses anything in the air, and you can’t get around him.”
Keller led Churchville-Chili boys’ soccer to its first NYSPHSAA semi-final appearance in program history.
“I’m so happy for him, but I’m also happy for our program,” said Saints’ head coach John Mahoney. “I know how hard it is to become an All-American. Many great players in this region did not receive All-American. It’s really hard, and and it usually comes on the heels of a successful season for your team. I’m thrilled as a coach for our program. And, of course, I’m ecstatic for Chris.”
A four-year varsity player, Keller primarily served as holding midfielder or an outside back in his previous three seasons. This year his role in the offense was increased, and he followed through with 14 goals and 8 assists.
“We didn’t want to go into a season where our scoring wasn’t good enough,” Mahoney said. “We had a very concerted effort to push Chris up a little bit more. The proof is in the pudding.”
It wasn’t just the quantity of goals but the quality.
His golden goal lifted C-C over divisional rival Spencerport and he scored the go-ahead marker in the Saints’ first regional championship. Keller also scored both of Churchville’s goals in a 3-2 loss to Cornwall in the state semifinal.
“It’s one thing to say, hey you can get forward and start scoring goals. It’s another to actually go and do it. Not only did he do it, he did it in big-time moments for us this year.”
Keller becomes the third player from the Churchville-Chili program to receive the distinction joining Skip Small in 1972 and Randy Shaffer in 1970.
“It’s truly an honor to be able to represent my community in that way,” Keller said. “Obviously, we have great fans, great teammates and great staff that support us and help us to achieve all that we did this season.”
“It’s great to see all the hard work come together. It’s awesome, but I had a lot of help in the process.”
Grejda along with Keller’s teammate, Mason Simmons, and Cash Rosado (Brockport) and Mason Vallow (Penfield) were named to the USC All-East Region team.
The selection of Grejda and Keller marked the 19th time in history that two or more student-athletes from Section V Boys’ Soccer have received All-American honors in the same season. The last to achieve this were Brandon Bianchi (Spencerport) and Anthony Rozzato (Webster Schroeder) in 2011.
In 1986, three Section V performers received the distinction with Mike Bianchi (Greece Arcadia) and Chris Kennel (Pittsford Mendon) joining Fairport’s Fish. That was part of a stretch where Section V had multiple representatives on the All-American list starting in 1984 with Jim Clar (Gates Chili) and Joe Sternberg (Pittsford Sutherland) and continuing to 1990 with Dana Quick (Spencerport) and Peter Spear (Pittsford Sutherland).
In 1970, four Section V standouts were named All-American: Kevin Hall (Wayne), Terry Lipman (Brighton), Dave Sarachan (Brighton) and Shaffer from Churchville. Local players matched that number in 1975 when Scott Boddery (Webster), Bob Brooks (Spencerport), Rick Kincaid (Spencerport) and Mike Pilger (Greece Olympia).
Henry Smith (Canisius High School), Owen Mack (East Aurora) and Roland Wenk (Lancaster) of from Buffalo (Monsignor Martin Athletic Association and Section VI) were also named to the East Region Team. Smith earned All-American.
| NATIONAL SOCCER COACHES’ ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA/ | |||
| UNITED SOCCER COACHES | |||
| HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICANS | |||
| SECTION V BOYS’ SOCCER | |||
| 2025 | Alexander Grejda | Fairport | |
| 2025 | Christopher Keller | Churchville-Chili | |
| 2024 | Ryan Mathis | Fairport | |
| 2023 | Ali Shabani | Aquinas | |
| 2022 | Myles Palmer | Fairport | |
| 2021 | Cody Cavuoto | Hilton | |
| 2020 | Dylan Rice | Greece Athena | |
| 2019 | Dylan Rice | Greece Athena | |
| 2018 | Sam O’Connor | Brighton | |
| 2013 | Hunter Critchlow | Fairport | |
| 2012 | Sean Loucks | Webster Schroeder | |
| 2011 | Brandon Bianchi | Spencerport | |
| 2011 | Anthony Rozzato | Webster Schroeder | |
| 2009 | Steve Baker | McQuaid Jesuit | |
| 2008 | Mike Reidy | Webster Thomas | |
| 2007 | Matt Schuber | Webster Thomas | |
| 2006 | Matt Schuber | Webster Thomas | |
| 2005 | Peter Hill | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 2004 | Chris Farnsworth | Spencerport | |
| 2004 | Brian Usinger | Penfield | |
| 2003 | Adam Blanchard | Greece Arcadia | |
| 2002 | Eric Ducey | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 2001 | Josh Bolton | Penfield | |
| 2000 | Jordan Chirico | Livonia | |
| 1998 | Guido Christofori | Fairport | |
| 1997 | Jeff Parrinello | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 1996 | Adam Gill | Haverling | |
| 1996 | Jeff Parrinello | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 1995 | Alex Korol | Livonia | |
| 1995 | Dimitri Kovalenko | Greece Arcadia | |
| 1994 | Mike Cellura | Penfield | |
| 1994 | Dimitri Kovalenko | Greece Arcadia | |
| 1993 | Mike Domm | Brighton | |
| 1993 | Mike Jacobson | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 1992 | Dana Quick | Spencerport | |
| 1991 | Dana Quick | Spencerport | |
| 1990 | Dana Quick | Spencerport | |
| 1990 | Peter Spear | Pittsford Sutherland | |
| 1989 | Jack Elliot | Penfield | |
| 1989 | Flemming Koeller | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 1988 | Mike Campisi | Aquinas | |
| 1988 | Tyler Ricks | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 1987 | Mike Bianchi | Greece Arcadia | |
| 1987 | Rhett Thompson | Pittsford Sutherland | |
| 1986 | Mike Bianchi | Greece Arcadia | |
| 1986 | Mark Fish | Fairport | |
| 1986 | Chris Kennel | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 1985 | Joe Escalante | Brockport | |
| 1985 | Carl Hopfinger | Pittsford Sutherland | |
| 1984 | Jim Clar | Gates Chili | |
| 1984 | Joe Sternberg | Pittsford Sutherland | |
| 1983 | Chuck Burpee | Greece Arcadia | |
| 1982 | Jim Gallina | Webster Thomas | |
| 1981 | John Pietak | Greece Arcadia | |
| 1980 | Peter Grillo | John Marshall | |
| 1979 | Chris Castano | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 1979 | Steve Tremaine | Greece Olympia | |
| 1978 | Peter Buisman | Penfield | |
| 1978 | Jim Gentile | Spencerport | |
| 1977 | Bill Champaigne | Pittsford Mendon | |
| 1976 | Rick Benson | Spencerport | |
| 1976 | Craig Jackson | Webster | |
| 1975 | Scott Boddery | Webster | |
| 1975 | Bob Brooks | Spencerport | |
| 1975 | Rick Kincaid | Spencerport | |
| 1975 | Mike Pilger | Greece Olympia | |
| 1974 | Jim Berardicurti | Spencerport | |
| 1973 | Win Jacop | Greece Olympia | |
| 1972 | Gary Boughter | Spencerport | |
| 1972 | Skip Small | Churchville-Chili | |
| 1971 | Hal Dreschler | Greece Olympia | |
| 1970 | Kevin Hall | Wayne | |
| 1970 | Terry Lipman | Brighton | |
| 1970 | Dave Sarachan | Brighton | |
| 1970 | Randy Shaffer | Churchville-Chili | |
| 1969 | Tom Gentile | Wayne | |
Leave a Reply