Coleman, Lopez lead All-State soccer honors

• The Lady Scorps had 10 players receive All-State recognition, the most of any team in 5A.
• Navajo Prep had two girls receive honorable mention nods.
• Four Aztec girls received recognition, with Grace Olson and Autumn Petersen making the second team.
• Yosmar Ruiz earned second-team honors, while three other boys earned honorable mentions in 5A.

FARMINGTON — The Farmington girls soccer team was well represented when the All-State soccer teams were announced last week.

The Lady Scorps had 10 players — two first team, five second team and three honorable mentions — receive recognition in 5A. It was the most players of any program, edging St. Pius X and Albuquerque Academy, which had nine players each.

Nine of the 10 players who received All-State honors will return for Farmington next season.

“Ten girls being honored is amazing and couldn’t be more deserved,” Farmington coach Brynn Cochran said. “They put the team first in every game, so for them to get individual honors as well makes a huge difference in their confidence.”

Leading the Lady Scorps’ honors were midfielder Aubriana Lopez and forward Arin Coleman, who both landed on the first team.

Lopez was the anchor of Farmington’s midfield, and Cochran regularly called the junior the heart and soul of the team this season.

Coleman finished the season tied with Felicia Moseley for most goals on the team with 23.

“Arin is an absolute game changer,” Cochran said. “Anything can happen when she has the ball. She made the team better with her individual skills, creative play making and leadership. You only have to see her play for a minute to see that she is one of the top players in the state.”

Aztec had two players earn second-team honors, Grace Olson and Autumn Petersen, and two more receive honorable mentions.

Bloomfield’s Vanessa Harris was the Lady Bobcats’ lone representative, earning an honorable mention.

In A/4A, Navajo Prep had two players — senior defender Kelly Charley and sophomore midfielder Naakii Brown — receive honorable mentions.

Prep coach Stacy Irwin praised Charley and Brown for their leadership, saying their success could help generate more players coming out for soccer at Prep.

“With the acknowledgement of these two, I think more girls will try soccer, and what I hope is more schools on the reservation will start up soccer teams,” Irwin said.

On the boys side, Farmington’s Yosmar Ruiz received a second-team nod after finishing the season with 32 goals and 23 assists.

Farmington also landed James Schryver and Luke Stoltzfus on the honorable mention list.

Aztec’s Riley Barber joined Schryver and Stoltzfus as honorable mentions.

Karl Schneider is the sports editor for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4648.