Nansemond-Suffolk Academy wrapped up its boys soccer season last night with parents, coaches and players gathered for a banquet and end-of-the-year awards presentation.

&uot;We have the foundation for the future,&uot; said varsity head coach Richard Starkey.

&uot;We’ll miss our four seniors. They did a lot for us, but we have a good group of players both those returning and those coming up.&uot;

Those four seniors leaving the program are Jeff Iiams, Reid Leonard, Adam Schlaudecker and Ben Trujillo.

Schlaudecker was given the Coach’s Award and Iiams was named by Starkey as the season’s Defensive MVP.

&uot;We threw him into a new position this year, and he was a leader for us even in that new position,&uot; Starkey said about Iiams.

Shea Ahlsted, the only Saint to make All-TCIS honors, was voted Players’ MVP by his teammates.

Wade Cotton was named Offensive MVP and Tripp Eason was named Most Improved Player.

Starkey said, &uot;At the beginning of the year, he (Eason) realized he wasn’t where everyone else was.

But he worked just as hard or harder than everyone else and in the NA (Norfolk Academy) game, and the other big games, he was as important as anyone.&uot;

Ahlsted, Cotton and Eason all have their senior seasons ahead along with five more juniors and seven sophomores who got valuable varsity experience.

On the JV team, coach Michael Curry said he was proud of his team’s 6-8 overall record because, &uot;this was one of the youngest squads when compared to the teams we faced all year.&uot;

More than half the JV team was made up of eighth-graders.

&uot;I think they surprised themselves sometimes along the way, which was cool to see happen,&uot; Curry said.

&uot;They gained an understanding of high school soccer and the way the game at this level is played; the speed and intensity of the games, and understanding the knowledge needed during games.&uot;

Curry recognized two individuals with Coach’s Awards; Rob Winslow and Jacob Branchaud.

About the two, Curry said the awards symbolize, &uot;a player who when he is absent, the rest of the team notices he’s not there, whether it’s in a game or a practice.&uot;

andrew.giermak@suffolknewsherald.com