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USL-1 All-League Teams announced

September 13, 2006 - USL First Division (USL-1) News Release


TAMPA, FL -- United Soccer Leagues announced Thursday the 2006 USL First Division All-League Teams, honoring 22 of the top players in the organization's top flight as voted on by the league's coaches and general managers.

Montreal defender Gabriel Gervais joins an exclusive group of nine other players as the 10th individual to earn All-League honors in the USL First Division having been selected to the First Team for a fifth consecutive season.

Gervais joins Chance Fry, Craig Demmin, Dominic Kinnear, Marcelo Balboa and Steve Trittschuh as a five-time All-Leaguer. Teammate Mauro Biello is one of four (Danny Pena, Robin Fraser and Scott Schweitzer), who have been honored the most with six All-League appearances, reaching that milestone last year.

Teammate Greg Sutton became the 17th player honored four times while Nevio Pizzolitto, a member of the same back line as Gervais, makes his third appearance. Montreal midfielder Leonardo Di Lorenzo was honored on the Second Team with Pizzolitto.

The Impact trio of Gervais, Sutton and Pizzolitto are joined by Charleston's Ben Hollingsworth, Atlanta's Rodrigo Rios and Vancouver's Steve Klein as returnees from last year's All-League teams.

All-League, First Team

Goalkeeper - Greg Sutton (Montreal Impact)

Sutton won the Goalkeeper of the Year honor for a fourth straight season by finishing with the league's lowest goals against average at 0.500. The 2004 league MVP opened the season with five shutouts in the first six games before missing the middle part of the campaign due to a broken finger. He recorded a fourth straight clean sheet in his return and posted three straight to close the season.

Defender - Gabriel Gervais (Montreal Impact)

After winning the Defender of the Year honor in 2003 and 2004, it is no surprise to see Gervais return to the First Team for a fifth straight year after leading Montreal's back line to the league's lowest goals allowed total (15) for a second consecutive season.

Defender - Geordie Lyall (Vancouver Whitecaps)

In his eighth year in the league, Lyall makes his first appearance as an All-League honoree after leading the Whitecaps to a 12-6-10 record. He played in 20 games, registering one goal and one assist.

Defender - Mauricio Segovia (Puerto Rico Islanders)

The Chilean back helped lead the Islanders to a 10-10-8 record and their first-ever postseason appearance, playing in 24 games with one assist on the season.

Midfielder - Andrew Gregor (Seattle Sounders)

Gregor makes his third appearance as an All-League selection with honors previously being awarded in 2002 and 2003. In 2006 he finished the season as the second leading scorer on the team with five goals and five assists in 23 games.

Midfielder - Ben Hollingsworth (Charleston Battery)

A versatile player, Hollingsworth moved to a more offensive role in 2006 after earning All-League Second Team honors as a defender last year. He finished the campaign tied for fifth in the league in points (22) and sixth in goals (9) in 25 games to lead the Battery to a 13-8-7 record.

Midfielder - Luke Kreamalmeyer (Portland Timbers)

The former MLS midfielder was a bright spot in a difficult Timbers season, playing in all 28 matches and leading the team in goals with eight on the year.

Midfielder - Zinho (Miami FC)

The former Brazilian 1994 World Cup champion finished the season as the Assist Leader with 10 helpers on the year, adding three goals as well to lead the expansion Miami FC to the playoffs in their first year with an 11-11-6 record.

Forward - Joey Gjertsen (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Gjertsen opened the season with five goals in the team's first eight games and closed with seven in the last eight to finish third in the league in points (31) and fourth in goals (12), picking up seven assists along the way to finish tied for second in the league for one of the best all-around performances.

Forward - Romario (Miami FC)

The 1994 Brazilian World Cup Most Valuable Choice was an easy selection for most having finished as the co-Scoring and co-Goal Scoring Champion on the year with 18 goals and 39 points in 23 games.

Forward - Cam Weaver (Seattle Sounders)

A rookie striker, Weaver finished the year tied with the previously mentioned former World Cup MVP for the Scoring and Goal Scoring titles on the year after leading the defending champions to within one point of the playoffs after having lost star forward Maykel Galindo to injury early in the year.

All-League Second Team

Goalkeeper - Scott Vallow (Rochester)

Although Vallow finished third in goals against average to the two Montreal Impact keepers, he led the league in shutouts (14), wins (13) and minutes (2,520), concluding the season as the only goalkeeper in the league to play every minute. Atlanta defender Matt Bobo was the only other player to not miss a minute in 2006. Despite a stellar career in USL, it is only Vallow's second time as an All-League selection with his previous honor coming in 2000.

Defender - Matt Bobo (Atlanta Silverbacks)

The sixth-year back joined Vallow as one of only two players to not miss a single minute on the season, leading the Silverbacks in a chase for a playoff spot that went down to the last day of the season. He also registered one goal on the year.

Defender - Kenny Bertz (Rochester Raging Rhinos)

The rookie back helped lead the Rhinos to a second-place 13-4-11 record with the second-lowest goals allowed total (21) in the league. He saw action in 26 games in his first season for the Rhinos, also adding a goal and an assist on the offensive end.

Defender - Steve Klein (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Currently in his eighth year in the league, Klein received his second straight All-League honor having previously been recognized as a midfielder. He helped lead the team to a 12-6-10 record, playing in 27 games on the year with one assist.

Defender - Nevio Pizzolitto (Montreal Impact)

The Impact defensive unit has become a well-respected group over the past few years. Pizzolitto helped guide the team to the league's lowest goals allowed total (15) for a second consecutive season.

Midfielder - Jeff Clarke (Vancouver Whitecaps)

It is the first All-League honor for Clarke, who is in his sixth season with the Whitecaps. He helped lead the side to the playoffs with a 12-6-10 record, playing in all 28 games and registering a goal and two assists.

Midfielder - Leonardo Di Lorenzo (Montreal Impact)

The Argentinian helped lead the Impact to a second straight regular season championship, playing in 19 games and providing two goals and six assists, which ranked tied for fourth in the league.

Midfielder - Rodrigo Rios (Atlanta Silverbacks)

Rios returned to the Second Team by helping keep the Silverbacks in the playoff chase up to the last day of the season, finishing with four goals and five assists while playing in all 28 games.

Forward - Gavin Glinton (Charleston Battery)

Glinton returned to the game after taking a year off and provided an immediate impact for the Battery, scoring three goals in the first two games. He finished the year fifth in goals (11) and points (22) in the league.

Forward - Alen Marcina (Puerto Rico Islanders)

The Canadian returned to in North America from Denmark and helped guide the Islanders to their first playoff berth in team history after finishing third in the league in goals (13) and fourth in points (26).

Forward - Greg Simmonds (Virginia Beach Mariners)

An eighth year veteran striker in USL, Simmonds earned his first All-League recognition after finishing the year tied for fifth in points (22) and sixth in goals (9) on the year.

The finalists for Defender, Rookie, Coach of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards will be announced Tuesday, September 26 with the winners announced at the championship banquet prior to the USL First Division Championship Saturday, September 30.

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