DARKE COUNTY – A pair of Franklin Monroe sophomores have earned The Daily Advocate’s player of the year honors for the 2017 soccer season.
Franklin Monroe’s Chloe Brumbaugh has been named The Daily Advocate’s girls soccer player of the year, and Franklin Monroe’s Brydon Diceanu has been named The Daily Advocate’s boys soccer player of the year.
Brydon Diceanu led all Darke County soccer players with 18 goals this season, which was twice as many as any other athlete in the county. His 18 goals were seventh most among Division III boys soccer players in the Miami Valley.
“Brydon had a fantastic year considering the schedule we had and the success that he enjoyed scoring goals and helping us out in the tournament,” Franklin Monroe coach Danny Diceanu said. “He scored some big goals for us in some big games. He also had a lot of assists.”
Brydon Diceanu had seven assists this year, which tied fellow FM player Ethan Coppess for the most in the county. With his 18 goals and seven assists, Diceanu was involved in 25 of the Jets’ 32 goals this season.
“He has a pretty good feel for the game, and he’s got a knack for scoring,” Coach Diceanu said. “He’s got an ability that not many players have.”
Led by Brydon Diceanu and teammates such as Bryce Robison, Cole McGlinch and Coppess, the Franklin Monroe boys soccer team finished as the runner-up in the Ohio High School Athletic Association sectional tournament.
“He’s been helped out by some pretty good people around him too over the years,” Coach Diceanu said.
Brumbaugh led Darke County girls with nine goals this season, five more than any other girl in the county.
“She’s had a fantastic year considering she missed the first four games or so and stepped in from an ACL tear,” Coach Diceanu said.
Along with being one of the area’s best offensive players, Brumbaugh also was a key defender for the Lady Jets.
“She played defense and then I’d push her up as needed,” Coach Diceanu said. “She saved a lot of goals for us on defense just being on the field.”
Brumbaugh earned first team all-Cross County Conference honors from the CCC for her efforts this season.
“She’s just a positive influence on the field for all the other girls,” Coach Diceanu said.
Coach Diceanu, who led both the boys and girls soccer programs this season at Franklin Monroe, said both FM sophomores are great on and off the field.
“Both are good athletes, good students. The whole world is front of them and the ceiling is limitless,” he said. “I’m glad I get to coach them both. They’re fun to be around most of the time.”
