Sheldon ShealerBIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Charlie Constantino helped East Kentwood (Mich.) to a state title in November and then delivered the match-winning goal lifting the West to a 3-2 victory over the East in the second annual High School Soccer All-America Game on Saturday.
Constantino’s goal came with 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the match and was assisted by Jason Pesek of Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.).
Niko Hansen of Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.) won West MVP honors while Sam Bascom of Madeira (Ohio) took the East MVP honors.
Bascom, who has committed to Navy, assisted the first goal of the match, which was scored by fellow Ohio native Eric Lynch of Bellbrook (Ohio). Hansen, who has committed to New Mexico, answered for the West with his goal assisted by Alex McBride of Marquette (Milwaukee, Wis.).
The East took a 2-1 lead in the second half after Boston College commit Zeiko Lewis of Berkshire School (Sheffield, Mass.) converted a penalty kick. Less than two minutes later, Michael Veith of Evansville Memorial (Evansville, Ind.) answered for the West, assisted by Kaba Alkebulan of Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.)
NOTES — Connor Maloney of Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pa.) played in Saturday’s All-America match less than 24 hours after kicking a field goal for his high school’s football team in the Pennsylvania Class AAA state semifinals. McDevitt lost the football contest, bringing a close to Maloney’s two-sport fall season.
The night before the All-America match, players attended the NCAA Men’s College Cup semifinals and got to see Maryland’s Schillo Tshuma score twice in a penalty kick setback to Georgetown, while Indiana’s Femi Hollinger-Janzen scored in IU’s 1-0 win over Creighton. Tshuma and Hollinger-Janzen played in the inaugural All-America game last year.
