What happens when you’re the best of the best? You are named all-section!

WPIAL All-Section is when a high school coach nominates players from their team and other coaches from teams in their section (a section normally consists of six or seven teams) vote for whom they consider to be the “standout players” from that roster of names.

The voting takes place towards the end of the respective season once all teams have had the chance to play each other.

The athletes selected demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship, skill, leadership, and stand out among the other players in the team’s section.

One girl and one boy from the Beaver Area High School soccer teams were honored to receive this award this past season. Seniors Maegan Martin and Ethan Gengarella were among the several high school students from around the WPIAL to receive this award.

Typically the senior players selected would compete in an all-seniors game, but due to COVID that event has been canceled for this year. There is no news on what, if anything, will be happening for the players who made all-section. Although the players will be awarded at the soccer banquet in the spring.

Since we can’t honor them by cheering them on at their all-section games, let’s take a look back at their Beaver Area soccer careers.

#28 Maegan Martin Defender/Midfielder

Martin began playing soccer 13 years ago when she was 5 years old, and she’s loved the game ever since. She was a three-year letter winner, made the honor roll two years, high honor roll one year, and was soccer captain her senior year.

Martin is an outstanding midfielder who scored most of the goals for the Beaver Area girls soccer team this past season, but she is also a force to be reckoned with on defense.

She will continue her soccer career at Washington and Jefferson College in the fall.

Martin’s favorite Beaver Area soccer memory is when a teammate’s mom ran over a hay bale on the highway and it caught fire under their van on their way back from soccer camp.

Although her high school soccer career has ended, she leaves this message for her teammates . . .

“Sometimes you have to work hard to get what you want, even when you don’t believe it’s possible. I believe everyone is capable of making all-section, but it comes down to who wants it more,” Martin concluded.

#4 Ethan Gengarella Centerback

Since he was a little kid, Gengarella has had an unending passion for soccer. He was a quad-captain his senior year and led his team from the back line.

As a strong centerback, Gengarella was able to earn four soccer letters and made all-section his junior year. He was also able to maintain high honors and receive many academic achievements through his four years at Beaver Area. Gengarella also plans to continue his passion for soccer and play at the next level in college in the fall.

Some of his favorite soccer memories include all of freshman season, getting simultaneous yellow cards with a former teammate and a coach, and getting banned from a girls soccer game his sophomore year for his overly enthusiastic behavior in the stands.

While his Beaver Area soccer career is over, the memories and accomplishments made will last a lifetime.