What would be your state's Best XI?

For those of you who missed it, I wrote a piece on Tuesday where I named the current Best XI of New Jersey-born soccer players. Ten of the 11 players are professional players at present, with Villanova defender Matt Sleece the only college player on the squad.

As I put that team together I couldn't help but wonder what some of the other All-State pro soccer teams would look like. I'm not going to say New Jersey has the strongest team, I think California would win that contest, but New Jersey may have the second or third best team.

Here's my question to you. Name your All-State Starting XI for your state. Pick a lineup that has at least three defenders and four midfielders. The criteria for the team are players who were born in your state OR went to High School in your state (And no, the kids that have passed through Bradenton don't count Florida).

Here is the New Jersey team:

TEAM NEW JERSEY

--------------------------Jozy Altidore---------------------

Alecko Eskandarian---------------------Giuseppe Rossi

Eddie Gaven------------------------------Danny Szetela

-------------Claudio Reyna-------Michael Bradley--------

Matt Sleece-------------------------------Jason Hernandez

-----------------------Gregg Berhalter---------------------

-------------------------Tim Howard-------------------------

Here is Team New York, courtesy of MLSnet.com writer and New York soccer expert Dylan Butler:

---------Gabe Ferrari-----------John Wolyniec--------------

-----------------------Mike Grella-----------------------------

------------------Stefano Miglioranzi-------------------------

-------------Chris Armas------Shalrie Joseph---------------

Gary Flood----------------------------------------Mike Petke

----------Bakary Soumare-----Carlos Mendes--------------

-----------------------Bouna Coundoul-----------------------

Now it's your turn. Give us your All-State team and I'll select the best four based on the entries submitted by you, the SBI readers.

Comments

[Paul Lorinczi]

So, what are the rules here? Actually, born and raised in our State, or played in State?

[Super Metro]

Ives,
Didn't Ramos play in Spain once?

[Squard]

thank you for not putting Wynalda in the NJ Squad

[Mike]

virginia-
Forward-Roy Lassiter
Midfield- Brian Carroll, Shawn Kuykendall
Defenders- Jeff Caroll

Yes, we will line up in the classic 1-2-1 formation hoping to clog the midfield. We would have to annex DC to get Rocket Roy on our squad, not to mention bring him out of retirement. Lots of great players come from other states to play college ball in my great state, but not many are from here.

[emanon]

Perhaps we should create a team for the DC metro area (MD/DC/VA), but here's a start for Maryland

M: Freddy Adu (Potomac), Kyle Beckerman (Crofton), Santino Quaranta(Baltimore)

D: Oguchi Onyewu (Olney)

D/MF: Fro Adu(Potomac)

[Ben]

Comming from NJ, you put together a great team Ives.

[The Nick]

Gabe Ferrari attended high school in Jersey!!! and played for Red Bulls in Jersey!

[Uncle Dave]

Isnt Rossi Italian? Cuz I dont know many that consider em American . . . (this will change of course when his hopes of going to the IMNT are crushed and he joins the USMNT)

New York wins.

[Mike]

How could I forget Winchester, VA's favorite son Devon McTavish in Defence.

[Brad]

Mike and Emanon, Wade Barrett is from VA Beach. We could throw him on that list.

[Ives]

The rules are listed above. A player must either be born in the state OR must have played his high school career in the state.

And Rossi is Jersey kid, through and through. Lived in Jersey from birth to 14. His national team status has nothing to do with this conversation.

I'm looking forward to the California entry. I suppose we'll have to wait until at least noon, when the West Coast wakes up and joins us.

And I'm sorry but Team New Jersey smokes Team New York. I know I'm bias but after seeing Team New York I would like Team New Jersey's chances.

[Haig]

Shalrie Joseph would be on Team NY, right?

[Haig]

Oh you got him-- my bad.

[mikemc]

Have to side with Ives on this one. Hate to say it (growing up in New York), but NJ has the stronger squad of the two posed above.

[lawrenceterp]

I did some research on Maryland, Virginia and DC. I went through all the MLS teams, Yanks-Abroad and ussoccer.com. I found this list of players. None of the states are complete but if you combine the metro area you end up with a decent team.

Virginia
Brad Knighton GK
Devon McTavish D
Clarence Goodson D
Wade Barrett D
Brian Carroll DM
Grover Gibson M
Corey Ashe M
Kenny Cutler M
Abe Thompson F
Bruce Arena Coach
Curt Onalfo Asst. Coach

Maryland
Zach Thornton GK
Michael Dello-Russo D
Alex Yi D
Oguchi Onyewu D
Kyle Beckerman DM
Santino Quaranta M
Freddy Adu M
Brian West F
Israel Sesay F

DC
Amir Lowery M
Jeremiah White F

I'm not quite sure Freddy counts but his hometown is listed as Potomac, MD on the US Soccer page. You could have this line up....

---------------Thornton----------------
-Barrett-McTavish-Gooch-Goodson
-------Beckerman-----Carroll---------
----Ashe-----------------Quaranta----
-----------------Adu----------------------
-------------------Thompson------------

[Haig]

I have no idea if he would be good enough, but Californians should remember that Paulo Wanchope went to high school in LA.

And for NY: Dema Kovalenko went to high school in Rochester. I might put Kovalenko in for Migs, and have Grella create for Ferrari and Woly.

[Tim Archer]

Team for North Carolina, based purely on players I played high school ball with or against, and in their prime, I would put them up against most teams:

GK: Jay Benfield/West Forsyth HS, UNCG

D: Morgan Marvelli, Mt. Tabor HS
David Skoog, R.J. Reynolds HS
Evan Brown, Millbrook HS, WFU

M: Wells Thompson, FCDS, WFU, NE Revs
Brad Ramsey, R.J. Reynolds HS, Duke
Pat Farrell, Grimsley HS
Sam Cronin, R.J. Reynolds HS, WFU
Hugh Cronin, Mt. Tabor HS, NCSU

F: Austin DaLuz, R.J. Reynolds HS, WFU
and the lone player I never had the honor of playing with or against: Cody Arnoux, WFU

[Graig]

Quick Cali team:

---Donovan---Kamani Hill---

Eddie Lewis----------Hejduk
----Feilhaber---Kljestan---

Pearce--Boca--Califf--Dolo

---------Joe Cannon-------

[doug]

Great list by both writers. I dont think people realize how much NJ has done for US soccer. They just assume SoCal, Texas, Florida, St. Louis, are these major hotbeds for funnelling talent to the USMNT and pro ranks. Ive always said, had it not been for the original Jersey Boys in Italia 90 Harkes, Meola, and Ramos, US soccer would be extinct. NJ, STAND UP AND SHOW YOUR COLORS.

Also if you want a coach from the Garden State, how bout former Princeton U coach and former Princeton Youth Soccer Coach(I know from losing to his team in a NJ state final in 96) Bob Bradley.

[Mike]

Chesapeake Bay United(Mid-East, Va/MD/DC) seems to own both NY and NJ in defence. Cali seems to be the best though. Their defence consists of three players we used on our backline against Brazil and would have Bornstein coming off the bench if I am not mistaken...well CB United has Freddy Adu, the savior of American soccer, so we have nothing to worry about.

[Brad]

Eddie Pope would make that NC team.

[Rob]

The NJ team could be coached by Bob Bradley and John Harkes.

I tried to put together a Pacific Northwest (WA/OR) team and this is the best I could do..

Keller/Hahnemann - Brandon Prideaux, Ty Harden, Craig Waibel, Ryan Cochrane - Nikolas Besagno, Chris Brown, Leighton O'Brien - Rod Dyachenko, Ian Russel, Nate Jaqua

Obviosuly the goalkeepers are the best part.

[Jake Wright]

Cali? Cali would run into trouble from the fearsome Missouri XI. The defence is shakey, but bonus points for a club team strike tandem!

Taylor Twellman (F)
Pat Noonan (F)
Steve Ralson (M)
Chris Klein (M)
Brad Davis (M)
Jack Jewsbury (M)
Jacob Thomas (M)
Frankie Simek (D)
Bobby Rhine (D)
James Twellman (D)
Matt Pickens (GK)

Coaches: Daryl Doran & Preki

[nutmegger]

Abby Wambach grew up in Rochester NY too. She'd improve that NY team immediately. :-O

[MetroFlip73]

Ives. You forgot the immortal Barry Swift!