NATURAL TALENTS: Palmer soccer players earn top honors in NLC

PALMER — As a freshman, Catherine Uschmann helped the Palmer Moose advance to the girls’ state soccer tournament for the first time in more than a decade. Following the season, Uschmann was one of a pair of Palmer players to earn the top honor in the Northern Lights Conference.

Uschmann was named the NLC Girls Player of the Year. Palmer junior Isaiah Montoya was named the region’s boys player of the year.

“She’s very unassuming,” Palmer girls head coach Harmony Chadwick said recently.

But Uschmann lets her play speak for itself, Chadwick said, and once the forward breaks free, she’s hard to stop. Chadwick called Uschmann a super athlete, and factored into the majority of Palmer’s scoring during the 2018 spring season. Uschmann netted a dozen goals as a freshman, and Chadwick said Uschmann assisted on many goals she didn’t score. Chadwick said Uschmann was a great compliment to a pair of Palmer’s other top players, senior Kiley Fish and junior Delaney Shults, who also earned first-team all-conference honors.

Palmer boys head coach Josh Banks called Montoya a natural talent.

“He plays on a level faster than anybody,” Banks said recently. “It’s just something you are born with. He’s naturally very good.”

Banks said it doesn’t just mean Montoya is blessed with just pure speed. It’s how he can combine his soccer skill set with his natural athletic ability.

“Physically, he just plays faster,” Banks said. “All of his ball skills, shooting are on another level.”

Banks said he’s thrilled to have another season with Montoya. Montoya’s teammate also earned first-team honors.

Eight Valley players earned All-NLC honors.

Houston’s Robert Ritter and Denali Whitted, and Redington’s AJ Smith were named first-team.

Palmer’s Kyle Berberich, Jeremy Houston and Duston Corbin; Redington’s Tolupo Falaniko and Jaiden Straughn; and Houston’s Izaak Goodman were named to the boys’ second team. Palmer’s Shaleen Tolbert and Dory Schneider, and Redington’s Ecem Collins, Johanne Schumann and Abigaile Fuller were named to the girls’ second team.

Chadwick was named an NLC Coach of the Year for the girls. Redington’s David Adams was named the NLC Coach of the Year for the boys.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.