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Boys soccer News-Sun All-Clark County Team

Joe Halula

Shane Latham

Mohammad Salhieh

By Michael Cooper, Staff Writer Updated 8:07 AM Wednesday, November 18, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — Two club teammates proved to be two of the top players in the area this fall.

After stellar campaigns, Kenton Ridge High School senior Mohammad Salhieh and Catholic Central junior Joe Halula were named the 2009 News-Sun All-Clark County Boys Soccer Co-Players of the Year.

After guiding the Irish to their first unbeaten regular season in 20 years, Catholic Central coach Shane Latham was named the 2009 All-Clark County Boys Soccer Coach of the Year.

The awards are based on regular-season performance only.

Salhieh and Halula are members of the Metro Rapids FC club squad. They’ll travel all over the country playing soccer in the coming weeks.

Salhieh, a forward, finished the regular season with 33 goals and seven assists as the lone senior on a young KR team that finished the season 8-7-1.

He faced double teams in virtually every game he played, but said it helped the Cougars in the long run.

“It helps our team having other people get involved,” Salhieh said.

Halula, a junior forward, led the area in assists during the regular season with 28. He was one assist shy of breaking the school record of former teammate Stefan Latham.

“It was hard, but it gives me something to go for next year in my last year,” Halula said.

Shane Latham led the Irish to their first Division III state poll title in school history. They finished 20-1-1, falling in the regional finals to Cincinnati Seven Hills. They also won a fourth straight Ohio Heritage Conference title and their third district title in four years.

“It was one of the best seasons we’ve had since I’ve been at Central,” Latham said.

Joining Halula and Salhieh on the first team were Central’s Calum Latham, Marco Campolo and J.P. Derr; Tecumseh’s Zach Schwartz and Travis Jones; Greenon’s Jerron Bennington; Emmanuel Christian’s Matthew Scott; Shawnee’s Josh Hayes and Northwestern’s Matt Carter.

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