COURTESYTHE ALL-EAST TEXAS Coach of the Year is John Absalom of Palestine. He led the Wildcats to a 35-1 record and runner-up in Class 4A. Here Absalom (right) is talking with his goalkeeper Christian Hutchinson, a sophomore, who is on the All-East Texas first team. 

Just call it a Palestine hat trick.

The Palestine Wildcats had one of the all-time best seasons for a team in the Pineywoods, compiling a record of 35-1 and finishing runner-up in Class 4A.

For its efforts, Palestine swept the superlative honors on the Tyler Morning Telegraph/TylerPaper.com All-East Texas Soccer Team.

Javier Leonor, a junior forward, was voted Player of the Year, while his freshman teammate Luis Rangel, a midfielder, was tabbed Newcomer of the Year.

Their mentor, John Absalom, was named Coach of the Year.

You could color the season Palestine maroon.

Leonor had one of the most outstanding seasons in East Texas, scoring 69 goals and adding 53 assists for a total of 122 points. He was also the All-District 15-4A Most Valuable Player as well as first-team all-state on the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches squad.

Absalom said Leonor set the state records for assists in one season, while he was one goal shy of tying the state record.

Rangel was Newcomer of the Year in District 15-4A. He scored 19 goals with 19 assists to help the Wildcats make the state final.

Absalom, who led the Wildcats to the 2016 state championship, guided Palestine to the brink of another title. The team defeated Progreso 2-1 in the state semifinals for its 35th straight win before dropping a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to San Elizario in the title game.

The Wildcats had 26 shutouts on the season with first-team goalkeeper Christian Hutchinson, a sophomore, credited for 22.5 clean sheets.

Other Wildcats joining Hutchinson on the first team are junior midfielder Riley Harper and senior defender Chris Giron.

Also on the first team are Grace Community senior forward Jacob Williams, Longview sophomore forward Jesus Galvan, Tyler Lee junior forward Raul Carrillo, Kilgore junior midfielder Raul Cedillo, John Tyler sophomore midfielder Victor Leon, Tyler Lee senior midfielder Nathan Saucedo, Bullard Brook Hill senior defender Uwaoma “Sam” Nechi and Mineola senior defender Angel Suarez.

Nominations were taken from coaches and all-district teams.

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All-East Texas Boys Soccer Team

Player of the Year — Javier Leonor, junior forward, Palestine

Newcomer of the Year — Luis Rangel, freshman midfielder, Palestine

Coach of the Year — John Absalom, Palestine

 

First Team

Christian Hutchinson, sophomore goalkeeper, Palestine

Jacob Williams, senior forward, Grace Community

Jesus Galvan, sophomore forward, Longview

Raul Carrillo, junior forward, Tyler Lee

Raul Cedillo, junior midfielder, Kilgore

Riley Harper, junior midfielder, Palestine

Victor Leon, sophomore midfielder, John Tyler

Nathan Saucedo, senior midfielder, Tyler Lee

Chris Giron, senior defender, Palestine

Uwaoma “Sam” Nechi, senior defender, Bullard Brook Hill

Angel Suarez, senior defender, Mineola

Second Team

Kaleb Jett, senior goalkeeper, Kilgore

Kevin Velasco, senior forward, Chapel Hill

Brandyn Hinojos, junior forward, Kilgore

Marcus Perez, junior forward, Mount Pleasant

Juan Rodriguez, senior midfielder, Tyler Lee

Tony Freer, junior midfielder, Mount Pleasant

Blaine Wright, junior midfielder, Longview

Mac Rose, senior midfielder, Bullard  Brook Hill

Rigo Chavez, senior defender, Tyler Lee

Hunter Martin, junior defender, Longview Spring Hill

David Egbe, senior defender, Palestine 

Honorable Mention

All Saints — Will Sanchez, senior forward; Russell Wynne, sophomore midfielder

Bishop Gorman — Alvaro Betancourth, junior defender

Bullard Brook Hill — Andrew Winston Hebert, sophomore midfielder; Zakhar Zapolskyy, freshman forward; Jake Shaffer, sophomore defender; Joshua Jenkins, senior goalkeeper

Carthage — Jacob Cabello, senior; Jose DeJulian, senior, midfielder Junior Salazar, junior, forward; Tucker Smith, junior, forward

Chapel Hill — Brandon Zavala, senior; Jose Tamayo, senior 

Grace Community — William Blankenship, junior defender; Jacob Wilson, junior midfielder; Garrison Starr, senior goalkeeper; Kaleb Bates, junior forward 

Jacksonville — Jaylon Freeney, Raul Arredondo

Kilgore — Jordi Contraras, senior defender  

Lindale — Uriel Vela, senior goalkeeper

Longview — Raul Torrez, sophomore goalkeeper

Longview Pine Tree — Luke Yoder, senior forward

Longview Spring Hill — Chandler Thaden, sophomore midfielder; Manuel Flores, junior midfielder

Lufkin Hudson — Carlos Perez, senior goalkeeper; Trever Beaty, senior defender

Mineola — Bonifacio Palacious, senior midfielder; Alexander Rojas, junior midfielder; Luigi Melgarego, senior forward

Palestine — Jose Sanchez, sophomore midfielder; Jonathan Sanchez, sophomore midfielder; Malachi Musil, senior defender

Pittsburg — Brian Bello, Efrain Cruz, Eric Ponce, Kevin Ramirez, Giovanny Rojas, Marco Trejo

Sabine — Fernando Jaimes, sophomore, forward

Tyler Lee — Abraham Mancilla, junior midfielder; Price Anderson, senior goalkeeper; Juan Rodriguez, senior defense