THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 9, 1995 TAG: 9511080182
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 29 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
IT'S OFTEN SAID that one player can't make or break a team. But Nansemond-Suffolk soccer player Gabe Valencia came pretty close.
The Swedish-born senior, who transferred from LaSalle Academy in Philadelphia before the season began, played a big part in the Saints' major improvement over last year.
After winning just one Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools game last season, the Saints finished 6-2 and advanced to the tournament championship, where they lost 3-1 to Hampton Roads last week.
``The most I brought was some confidence,'' said Valencia, who is a member of the Richmond Capitals, an under-18 club soccer team. ``That's all they needed to get turned around. These guys can play - they just needed it brought out.''
``The spark of confidence that Gabe gave them was something that they haven't had,'' first-year N-SA coach Tom Gill said. ``They looked up to him and he just took over. It spread through the whole team and once the players picked it up it made a huge difference.''
Other coaches in the TCIS agreed, making Valencia the top vote-getter on the all-conference team last week.
``I just played my best to help them out,'' Valencia said. ``We had a spectacular year.''
The 6-foot-2 Valencia, who lives in Chesapeake, finished sixth in conference scoring with 16 goals and nine assists.
Other South Hampton Roads players on the all-conference team were Norfolk Collegiate's Trey Cooper and Bobby Mitchell, Norfolk Academy's Dave Walker and Barrie Chang and Cape Henry's Sean Luoma.
Cooper was second in scoring with 21 goals and 15 assists, while Nichols was third with 15 goals and 13 assists.
Nansemond-Suffolk placed three players - Ben Goins, Jay Habel and Jonathan Duman - on the second team. Habel finished fourth in conference scoring with 17 goals and seven assists.
The Saints' Bryan Sharp earned honorable mention. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy's soccer captain, Gabe Valencia, kicks the
ball during the TCIS championship game, which the Saints lost.
by CNB