Twenty-Seven Highlanders named Greater Boston League All-Stars

Somerville Patch congratulates the Somerville Highlander athletics program for its 27 Greater Boston League All-Stars.

Leading the way: the GBL-champion and MIAA Sportsmanship Award-winning boys soccer team, with four players named first-team all-stars and three named second-team.

Sophomore Thayrone Miranda and junior Matheus Reis, who were also named all-stars by the Eastern Mass Soccer Coaches Association, earned first-team status, as did senior Edgardo Perez Vasques for the second time. Junior Andre Rolim joined the trio on the first team.

Sophomore Francisco Neto and seniors Charlemers “Junior” Pierre-Louis and Richard Rodriguez earned second-team honors.

To become an all-star, a player must be nominated by a GBL coach, though not necessarily his or her own. All the coaches then discuss and debate the merits of the various nominations.

Somerville athletic director Nicole Viele said whichever team wins the GBL in a particularly sport typically sets the maximum number of all-stars in that sport, which is usually around four. After that, there’s a trickle-down effect to the other teams.

“I think the GBL in general tries really hard,” says Viele. “I think we try to limit who our all-stars are and try to have an overall representation of the league.”

Trailing boys soccer by just one, the girls volleyball team, which made it to the second round of the playoffs, had five all-stars. Seniors Nicole Genard and Lorenza Etienne both made the first team for the second straight year, and senior Brittany Cassidy graduated from last year’s second team to the 2011 first team. Junior Maria Dardonis and senior Jacquline Homsi joined their teammates on the second team.

The girls soccer team also produced five fall 2011 all-stars. Joined by sophomore Rachael Berry, junior Natalie Henrique made the first team for the third consecutive year. Freshman Alyssa Hachey, junior Katelyn Kemp-Quinn and senior Diana Marquez all made the second team.

The football team had two first-team and two second-team all-stars: Junior Ryan Conte, also a finalist in the MIAA Sportsmanship Essay contest, and senior Stanley Georges earned first-team honors, and sophomore Phoenix Huertas and senior Jerry Nazaire earned second-team honors.

Four all-stars also ran cross country for the Highlanders in 2011: senior Andryc Evich and junior Brian Martinez for the boys, and junior Melina Garro-Duplisea and senior Pristine Mei for the girls.

On the golf team, junior Kyle Higgins is now a three-time GBL all-star, and senior Charlie O’Leary finished his Highlander golf career in style.

Related Content: Boston.com's full list of all 2011 All-Scholastics and All-Stars.