Nine Pines players receive GNC soccer honors; Vojta, Boxrucker selected as Players of the Year

Nine Northland Pines boys soccer team players were named to the 2024 Great Northern Conference (GNC) all-conference teams, including two Players of the Year.

Senior Cody Vojta was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year, while senior Nick Boxrucker was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Vojta was second in the conference in scoring, while Boxrucker led an Eagles’ defense that allowed just eight goals in 10 GNC games. Senior Dominic Gironella of Lakeland shared the Offensive Player of the Year honor with Vojta, while Rhinelander senior Karter Massey shared the Defensive Player of the Year recognition with Boxrucker.

Vojta and Boxrucker were also unanimous selections for the first GNC team. Joining them on the first team from Northland Pines were junior Guilherme Amariz Fonseca and senior Anthony Gaetano.

Northland Pines players named to the second team were senior A.J. Muench and sophomore Tyler Vojta.

Players receiving honorable mention for Pines were sophomores Ryan Rydeski and Jackson Olejniczak, and freshman Dechlan Favorite.

The Eagles finished in second place in the GNC, just one point behind Lakeland. Pines had eight wins, one loss, and one shootout victory for 26 points. Lakeland had eight wins, no losses, one shootout victory, and one shootout loss for 27 points. Mosinee was third at 4-5-0-1 for 13 points. Rhinelander was fourth at 3-5-1-1 for 12 points. Antigo was fifth with a 3-7 record and nine points. Medford was sixth with a 0-8-1-1 record for three points.

Gironella led the conference with 19 goals, followed by Cody Vojta with 15. Amariz Fonseca was fourth with seven goals and Muench was tied for fifth with six goals. Amariz Fonseca led the GNC with seven assists, followed by Cody Vojta with five. Olejniczak was fourth with four assists and Gaetano was sixth with three assists. Gironella led the conference with 42 points, while Cody Vojta was second with 35 points. Amariz Fonseca was fourth with 21 points and Muench was fifth with 13 points. Olejniczak had 13 points.

In addition to finishing in second place in the GNC, the Eagles, coached by Rodney Sternhagen, advanced to the WIAA Division 4 Sectional final, losing to Aquinas 2-1 in the final minute of the tournament game, just one victory shy of a state tournament berth. The Eagles finished the season with 13 wins, two losses and three ties overall, scoring 62 goals and allowing 21 goals.

Other GNC honorees

Other players named to the GNC first team were senior Dominic Gironella, senior Brent Olson and junior Marshall Holmquist, all of Lakeland; senior Greyson Gabrielski and junior Shawn Sowadski, both of Mosinee; and senior Karter Massey and senior goalkeeper Barak Rapley, both of Rhinelander.

Other second-team players included senior Logan Griese and senior Jack Stronstad, both of Antigo; senior Jack Stepac, and juniors Ethan Seeliger and Cameron Bernard, all of Lakeland; senior Hart Hokens of Rhinelander; senior Michael Meyer of Medford; and junior Omar Ingram and senior Aiden Karst, both of Mosinee.

Other players receiving honorable mention included junior Nathan Schuld, junior Lucas Mahner and senior Cale Schulz, all of Medford; junior Diego Flores Martinez and senior Trenton Walbeck, both of Antigo; sophomore Lincoln Friedley, sophomore Connor Erickson, sophomore Oren Slemmons and junior goalkeeper Talan Pockat, all of Lakeland; junior Evan Karst and senior George Ahles, both of Mosinee; and sophomore Charlie Johnson, sophomore Asher Rivore and senior Aiden Ostermann, all of Rhinelander.

Lakeland coach Ihor Myshchyshyn was named GNC Coach of the Year.