by RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

East St. John’s DeChris Strong and Riverside’s Shelby Deslatte combined to score 33 goals this season, leading St. John Parish and contributing to their selection as L’Observateur’s boys and girls’ soccer Most Valuable Players, respectively. They lead L’Observateur’s All-St. John Parish soccer team for 2010-11.

Strong scored 17 goals this season for an East St. John team that surged out the gate and improved it’s play from a year ago in an extremely competitive District 6-I. Strong was a lethal scorer, but when injuries struck Paul Dupuy had to make a move to bolster the Wildcats’ defense. Strong was up to the challenge, moving to the sweeper position defensively for the last few games of the season.

“He was very good in that role, and very unselfish to take it,” said Dupuy. “DeChris came a long way this season, becoming a more complete player. The good news this season was when we had him on offense, we had some others step up so that teams couldn’t just concentrate on taking him away. He did a good job distributing and getting us into an offensive flow.”

Deslatte scored 16 goals to lead all girls in the parish (and was the second leading scorer overall). Riverside completed one of its most successful season’s to date, notching the first district win in the program’s history and returning to the postseason.

The junior had a lot to do with that, often scoring multiple goals in wins and drawing more and more defensive attention as the season went on.

“She had an excellent season, obviously,” said Riverside coach Stephen Millet. “Shelby was everything you’d want out of a forward. She has speed, finishing capability and she always plays hard. Next year, I look for an even better season.”

Strong is joined on the team by teammate Andrew Alexander, a junior who scored nine goals for the Wildcats this season and took over the offensive leadership role once Strong moved to the defensive side.

Two St. Charles Comets make the team in junior Klay Olasin and senior Ben Brady. Both were integral parts of a SCC team that won 10 games this season and challenged E.D. White for the District 8-III crown.

The Riverside boys are represented by Beau Gaudet, who made a successful fulltime transition to forward as a senior after playing the goal fulltime as a sophomore and part time last season.

Deslatte is joined by her own teammate, Kaci Simon, Riverside’s senior goalkeeper. Millet noted Simon’s senior leadership as something that the team will miss with her graduation.

East St. John sophomore Diamond Edwards makes her first appearance on the team and represents the Ladycats. Edwards was a strong defender this year for ESJ.

SCC forward Laura Hane and defender Kelly Lienhop round out the squad. Hane led the Lady Comets in goals scored with nine, and the junior will look to build on that next season.

Lienhop was L’Observateur’s girls’ MVP a season ago and followed up with another strong campaign as the anchor of the St. Charle’ defense.