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East keeper to be a Friar
December 11, 2002

Ocean County Observer article on Boca GK Chris Konopka – Published December 11, 2002.
East keeper to be a Friar
Published in the Ocean County Observer
12/11/02

Staff report

TOMS RIVER — Toms River High School East standout keeper Chris Konopka announced Monday he has verbally committed to attend Providence College and will sign a national letter of intent during the NCAA men’s soccer signing period in February.

A member of the Jersey Shore Boca team, Konopka will continue his career under Friars coach Chaka Daley at the Big East Conference school in the fall.

Konopka said he chose Providence over West Virginia, Seton Hall, Rutgers, American University, Rhode Island, Boston University, East Carolina and Long Island University.

The senior will follow in the footsteps of former East standout John Martin, who played for the Friars from 1987-1991.

Martin was on the Raiders’ 1985 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group IV state championship team.

Martin is fourth on the all-time Providence goals list with 21. He is fifth all-time in total points with 56. Martin handed out 14 career assists.

At the club level, Konopka was on the Boca USL Super Y-League teams for 2002 and 2001. He was named the USL Super Y-League National Player of the Week on May 21, 2001 for his 11-save effort against FC Delco.

He is on the United States Youth Soccer Region I Olympic Development Program team and is a four-year member of the New Jersey ODP state team.

Konopka, a 6-foot-4, 200-pounder, was also nominated for the prestigious Adidas ESP program in 2002 and 2001.

Konopka propelled Boca teams in numerous state, regional, national and international competitions. During July of 2000, Konopka led his Jersey Shore Boca U16 team over an eight-game, seven-day period to the championship match against Denmark at the USA Cup, Blaine, Minn.

At the high school level, Konopka was a three-year varsity starter for coach John Crowley and East. He was named a team co-captain in his senior year.

As a senior, he led the Raiders to a 9-9-2 mark recording five shutouts. The owner of 12 career shutouts, Konopka posted a 1.30 goals against average this year.

Konopka received a 2002 National Soccer Coaches Association of America-Adidas High School All-American nomination.

Konopka is a four-year honors student. He owns a 3.88 grade point average and ranks in the top 20 percent of his class of 469 students. He plans to peruse a computer graphics and design major.

from the Ocean County Observer

Published on December 11, 2002
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