The accolades continue for Shannon Aitken and Tiffany Vega as they make the all-state team.
By STEVE LEE
Published June 22, 2004
LAND O'LAKES - Shannon Aitken and Tiffany Vega capped their senior seasons ranked among Pasco County's best girls soccer players.
In fact, Aitken, a Land O'Lakes goalkeeper, was named the Times All-County and Sunshine Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Joining the Tampa signee on the first team was Vega, a Ridgewood sweeper.
The four-time All-SAC selections recently made another list as both were named to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-State team. Aitken made the Class 5A squad and Vega was a 4A selection.
Aitken owns county shutout records for single-season (19) and career (70). With a 96-14-4 record and 551 career saves, she also is the county's all-time winningest keeper.
"I think she'll do well (at Tampa)," Land O'Lakes coach Vicky King said of Aitken. "She'll challenge for a starting position as a freshman.
"She adds so much to a team; her work ethic, her fitness and how well she sees the game from her position."
Vega, the Rams' team captain and defensive quarterback, is ranked among the county's most swift defenders. At times, she joined the offense and had two goals and six assists as a senior. Vega totaled 32 career points.
"She had great speed and she had to play so many positions," King said of Vega. "She was the sweeper, then she was a midfielder, then a forward."
NATIONAL COACH: King spent June 10-14 in Carson, Calif. coaching a McDonald's All-America team.
King, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division II coach of the year, was in charge of the eastern U.S. squad, which tied the west 2-2 at Cal State-Dominguez Hills' Home Depot Center.
"It was a friendly match," King said. "The goal was to get everybody equal playing time."
Bishop McLaughlin's John Mayer, who aims to start-up a coed team at that second-year catholic school in Hudson next season, coached the west team. Mayer is the NSCAA chairman.
"Everybody thought it was so strange that two people who are in such close proximity to one another went out (to California)," King said.
Coaching All-American players, King said, "was a perk. Being named (NSCAA) coach of the year was a different type of excitement. It was like a dream come true."
King, 50, coached Land O'Lakes to two state tournaments with the Gators claiming the 2A state title in 2003. She is the only coach in Land O'Lakes' 17 seasons and is the county's all-time winningest girls soccer coach with a 256-109-30 record.
