Virgin Valley goalkeeper Olivé named league MVP

The Virgin Valley girls soccer team fell short of the Class 3A state tournament and had to win a play-in game to reach the Southern League playoffs.

But that didn’t stop Jacque Olivé, the Bulldogs’ dominating senior goalkeeper, from being voted league Most Valuable Player by coaches last week.

“Honestly, for the last four years, she has been Virgin Valley High School girls soccer,” Bulldogs coach Terry Ogden said. “She’s a phenomenal player.”

Olivé posted six shutouts in helping Virgin Valley finish 7-11-5. The Bulldogs nearly pulled off an upset over eventual state finalist Faith Lutheran in the Southern League semifinals before losing, 2-0.

Ogden was named co-Coach of the Year along with Pahrump Valley’s Greg Leseberg.

Offensive Player of the Year went to Faith Lutheran junior forward Sydney Spoon.

Crusaders junior defender Jessica Nelson earned Defensive Player of the Year.

Spoon and Nelson led Faith Lutheran to a 17-1 season in which the Crusaders reached the state title game.

The all-league first team was comprised of: forwards Emily Babb (Moapa Valley), Melissa Ewing (Pahrump Valley) and Carly Wiesenborn (Boulder City); midfielders Shelby Hughes (Pahrump Valley), Kimmy Martinez (Virgin Valley), Krystal Onyema (Faith Lutheran) and Melissa Stewart (Boulder City); defenders Ashlyn Jorgensen (Boulder City), Carsen McBeath (Faith Lutheran) and Samantha Sposato (Pahrump Valley); goalkeeper Gil Raymond (Moapa Valley); and utility player Caiti Forrester (Boulder City).

In boys honors, Faith Lutheran senior forward/midfielder Ryan Sniezyk was named MVP.

Sniezyk headed a 16-1-1 season for the Crusaders, who reached their first state title game. He scored a school-record 101 goals in his career.

Offensive Player of the Year went to The Meadows sophomore striker Alex Karabachev, who scored 17 goals this season.

Faith Lutheran senior defender Terry Unruh was named Defensive Player of the Year.

Coach of the Year was The Meadows’ Garry Shackley, who guided the Mustangs to their first postseason berth in his four-year tenure.

The all-league first team is comprised of: forwards Wade Norman (Faith Lutheran), Toby Warburton (The Meadows) and Johnny Holloway (White Pine); midfielders Chris Longi (Faith Lutheran), Daniel Raddant (Boulder City), Joel Medina (Virgin Valley) and Ashley Lovell (The Meadows); defenders Ryan Honey (Boulder City), Cameron Brown (The Meadows) and Alex Thurston (Virgin Valley); goalkeeper Marc Davies (Faith Lutheran); and utility player Bradley Nilsen (Boulder City).