The Western Nebraska Community College men's soccer team was well-represented on the Region IX All-Region team that was released last week.

                The Cougar men garnered two First-Team selections as redshirt freshman Eduardo Oliveira earned honors as a forward while sophomore Samuel Acosta captured first team honors as a defenders.

                The Cougars had one Second Team All-Region member as sophomore Pablo Dominguez earned a spot as a mid-fielder.

                The Cougars had two honorable mention recipients as freshman Isrrael Rodriguez earned recognition as a mid-fielder while sophomore Hernan Burdiles was selected as a goalkeeper.

                Oliveira had a strong first season for the Cougars where he scored nine goals in 10 games while dishing off five assists in earning first-team honors. Acosta, as a defender, had a strong season where he scored a goal and had three shots during the season.

                Dominguez, in earning second-team honors, started 13 games for the Cougars where he scored five goals and had five assists in his sophomore season.

                Rodriguez and Burdiles also had strong seasons in earning honorable mention honors. Rodriguez, a freshman, started 14 of 15 matches where he had four goals and one assist this season. Burdiles, a sophomore, was one of the top goalkeepers in Region IX as the sophomore logged in over 2,300 minutes in goal in his two years at WNCC. He also had just 18 goals against him this  year while registering 92 saves. He finished his 2-year career with 155 saves in net.

                Other First Team members besides Oliveira and Acosta included Forwards: Otero's Deanroy Phillip, Casper's Cole Venable, and Northwest's Pedro Teixeira; Mid-fielders: Casper's Tuto Hatayama, Northwest's JJ Mullane, NJC's Elias Khodri, and Otero's Breno Andreucci; Defenders: Casper's Kohta Yamanashi, and Otero's Patrick Vukojc and Gio Poliero; and Goalkeeper: Casper's Hugo Amo.

                Second Team members besides WNCC's Dominguez includes Forwards: LCCC's Azael Marrufo, Northwest's Ricardo Da Silva, Central Wyoming's Tanner Johnson, and Casper's Isa Bramble; Mid-fielders: Casper's Jules Foll, Otero's Yuto Komine, and Central Wyoming's Pedro da Costa; Defenders: Northwest's Daniel Gargolla Saverda, Casper's Sho Horie, and LCCC's Brandon Young and Jonathan Ruvalcaba; and Goalkeeper: Otero's Gabe Selby.

                Honorable Mention members besides WNCC's Burdiles and Rodriguez include Forwards: Gillette's Julen Arteaga, Casper's Hayden Hollinger, Trinidad's Victor Quintana Antillon, Central Wyoming''s Dorian Penner, and NJC's Lasse Bieg; Mid-fielders: Casper's Louis Simon, NJC's Dante Walcott, Casper's Garrett Morris, and Gillette's Phillip Avendano Castillo; Defenders: Trinidad's Mohammed Haidara, Otero's Luis Gonzalez, NJC's Cameron Sickels, Northwest's Bridger Meyer, and Gillette's David Silva; and Goalkeeper: Northwest's Inigo Chavarria Bezunartea.

                Other big honors saw co-MVP honors going to Casper sophomore Yuto Hatayama and Otero freshman Deanroy Phillip. Phillip also earned Region IX Freshman of the Year. The Region IX Defensive Player of the Year went to Casper sophomore Kohta Yamanashi while the Coach of the Year went to Casper's Ben McArthur.