Eight area players receive state honors from coaches

~ Notre Dame had five players recognized, while Central had three honored.

Despite falling short in the district championship game for the third straight season, Notre Dame's boys soccer team placed five players on the Class 2 Missouri High School Soccer Coaches Association all-state team.

Senior defender Andrew Buelow and senior midfielder Frankie Ellis led the way for the Bulldogs, as both players made the first team. Senior goalie Nathan Kolda and senior defender Jacob Wengert each made second-team, and junior midfielder Jack Wedemeier made honorable mention.

All five Notre Dame players were also named to the all-region team.

Notre Dame was the top vote-getter among teams which did not make the final top 10 poll. Sikeston, which beat Notre Dame in the Class 2 District 1 championship game, was ranked 10th in the final poll.

Central, following one of its most successful soccer seasons in program history, landed three players on the Class 3 all-state team. The Tigers finished 22-6-1 and made it past the sectional round for only the second time. Central lost 2-0 to Vianney in the quarterfinals.

Senior defender Cody Gaither made first-team all-state, senior midifielder Tyson Whiteside made second-team all-state and senior midfielder Sam Bornstein was named honorable mention all-state. Whiteside was honorable mention all-state as a junior.

Bornstein, Whiteside and Gaither were also named to the all-region team.

Central finished 10th in the final rankings of the Class 3 top 15 poll.