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Avon’s Stephen Dorney named to NSCAA All-American team

Avon's Stephen Dorney (23) is the fourth boy in school history to earn All-American honors in soccer.

Avon’s Stephen Dorney (23) is the fourth boy in school history to earn All-American honors in soccer.

AVON – Avon High senior Stephen Dorney has been named an All-American soccer player by the National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA). The 6-foot-4 center defender helped lead the Falcons (16-1-4) to their first state championship since 2000 this fall. 

He is the fourth player in school history to earn All-American honors and the first since Victor Krasij in 2000. 

“Stephen is the best defender we have had in my 10 years coaching at Avon,” Avon High coach David Zlatin said. “He does everything you would expect a 6-foot-4 defender to do. He is dominant in the air, physically strong and very difficult for attackers to get around.  

“But even at his size, he is a great athlete with terrific technical skill,” Zlatin said. “He is one of the best passers on the team and has outstanding anticipation and communication.  In the last two seasons, we recorded 26 shutouts while playing only three defenders, mostly because of Stephen’s attributes and the pride in defense that he instilled on the whole team.” 

Avon senior Stephen Dorney (23)

Avon senior Stephen Dorney (23)

Avon gave up just nine goals this season, including just five goals in the regular season. The Falcons (16-1-4, 12-1-1 NCCC) finished second to Suffield in their final season in the NCCC but went 4-0-1 in the Class L tournament battling to a 1-1 double overtime tie with Branford to share the Class L state championship. 

Dorney, who scored two goals this season, was also named All-NCCC, All-State and All-New England. He is the tenth player in the program’s history to earn All-New England honors but just the second defender to do so. 

There were just seven defenders named to the NSCAA All-American team along with 30 midfielders and 20 forwards. Senior midfielder Colton Grob of Suffield was named All-American along with senior midfielder Jack Monnes of Conard in West Hartford. 

Dorney is considering attending Brandeis, Gettysburg, Saint Lawrence and Scranton. 

Krasij, Jason Fox (1990) and Brian Brown (1989) are the other Avon High players to earn All-American honors.

Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.

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