Six Highlanders
Honored by American
Mideast Conference
HOUGHTON, N.Y. —
The American Mideast
Conference (AMC) has
honored six members
of the Houghton
College men’s soccer
team, naming them to
AMC North
all-conference
teams.
Junior goalkeeper
Erik Lefebvre
(Ottawa,
Canada/Beatrice-Desloges),
senior defender
Tyler Haggerty
(Warren, NJ/Timothy
Christian) and
senior midfielder
Josiah Snelgrove (Coldstream,
Canada/Hartland) all
earned First Team
honors. Sophomore
forward Steve Grudda
(Albion,
Me./Lawrence) made
the Second Team.
Sophomore midfielder
Dan Brubaker
(Shippensburg,
Penna./Shippensburg)
and sophomore
defender Justin
Farnsworth
(Spencerport,
NY/Henrietta
Christian) earned
honorable mention.
Junior
goalkeeper Erik
Lefebvre (Ottawa,
Canada/Beatrice-Desloges)
AMC North Division
First Team Selection
It is
the third straight
year that Lefebvre
has made the AMC
First team. The 6′4″
Canadian has a 0.82
goals against
average and recorded
eight shutouts for
the Highlanders
during the season.
“Ricky is one of the
premier goalkeepers
in the country,”
says Matthew Webb,
head coach of the
Houghton men’s
soccer team, “he
anchored our
defense.” Lefebvre
earned the AMC
defensive Player of
the Week earlier
this year.
Senior
defender Tyler
Haggerty (Warren,
NJ/Timothy
Christian)
AMC North Division
First Team Selection
Haggerty also earned
the defensive Player
of the Week from the
AMC during the
season. The rangy
central defender was
cited for his
prowess in the air.
“Tyler’s ability to
head away dangerous
balls and control
the box was critical
to our defense,”
said Webb, “his
quiet leadership was
even more important
to the team.” He had
a total of two goals
and one assist to
complement his
defensive play.
Senior
midfielder Josiah
Snelgrove (Coldstream,
Canada/Hartland)
AMC North Division
First Team Selection
Snelgrove spent most
of the season at
outside midfield,
where he used his
ability to
distribute to rain
crosses into the box
on the offensive end
and to shut down
opponents’ flank
attacks on the
defense. He had five
assists during the
year. “His energy
and competitive
spirit made Josiah
someone we counted
on,” Webb said.
Sophomore
forward Steve Grudda
(Albion,
Me./Lawrence)
AMC North Division
Second Team
Selection
While
three of the six
Highlanders honored
were defenders,
Steve Grudda’s
impact was at the
other end of the
field. “Grudda’s
technical and pure
ball striking
ability allowed for
numerous chances on
goal,” Webb said,
“He pursued every
opportunity.” The
pursuit yielded five
goals (two game
winners) and one
assist on the
season, tied for the
team’s lead.
Sophomore
midfielder Dan
Brubaker
(Shippensburg,
Penna./Shippensburg)
AMC North Division
Honorable Mention
Selection
“Brubaker physically
controls much of the
game and typically
has more touches
than most from his
central midfield
position,” Webb
said. Brubaker had
four goals and one
assist, but his
contributions as a
ball winner and in
transition were much
more important to
the Highlanders than
his numbers.
Sophomore
defender Justin
Farnsworth
(Spencerport,
NY/Henrietta
Christian)
AMC North Division
Honorable Mention
Selection
Farnsworth was
Freshman of the Year
in the AMC for the
2006 season, and was
an important part of
the Highlander’s
defense in 2007.
“Every coach would
love to have a
defender like Justin
to count on,” said
Webb, “As an outside
defender, he was a
solid part of our
back three.” That
defense yielded just
15 goals in the
season, an average
of just 0.82 per
game.
Although he didn’t
earn any
all-conference
honors this year,
Jonathan Brooks also
merits recognition
as the team leader
in assists with
seven on the year.
The seven assists
rank him fifth in
the AMC for the
season. “Brooks was
outstanding for us
toward the end of
the season. His pace
and exceptional
service from the
right side of the
field led to some
critical goals for
us as we made a run
into the
postseason,” Webb
said. “Although
Brooks did not
receive any AMC
postseason honors,
his contributions
(particularly toward
the end of the
season) were
critical in our
success at the end.”
“I’m proud of each
of these guys,” Webb
said, “They worked
hard all season and
it showed. Each of
them played an
important part in
what was a very good
season.” The
Highlanders finished
9-4-5 and reached
the NAIA’s Region IX
semifinals before
losing to Rio Grande
University.
