New Rochelle High School Standout Jeronimo 'Jero' Velasquez Named Section 1 Soccer Player of the Year

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A New Rochelle High School standout has made high school sports history with an unprecedented achievement.

From the City School District of New Rochelle.

In a first for the school, New Rochelle High School senior Jero Velasquez is the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s (NYSPHSAA) Section 1 Boys’ Soccer Player of the Year.

Velasquez, the team’s captain and goalie, is a three-time All-Section player, two-time All-State, and the League’s Most Valuable Player. He is nominated for the All-Region and All-America Teams as well. If he is selected as an All-America, Velasquez would be distinguished as one of the top 50 high school players in the nation.

Velasquez led the Huguenots to a Section 1 Class AAA Co-Championship, finishing the season with a 14-2-3 record. This is the New Rochelle High School Varsity Soccer Team’s second section title, which they last won in 2017.

“From the moment we had our first training session in the summer, I could feel something was different. There was energy, hunger running through all of us that made me realize that this year was going to be unforgettable,” said Velasquez. “We won as one, we lost as one, and did everything as one big family every day. We created memories that will last forever.”

In addition to Velasquez, Adrian Medina and Josemiguel Ayala were named All-Section players; Julian Oceguera and Damian Torres received All-Section Honorable Mentions; Nicolas Canales and Rayan Pierre-Louise received All-League nominations.

Coach Jarohan Garcia was named League Coach of the Year and was a finalist for Section 1 Coach of the Year. He praised his team for their athleticism, academics, and character, and thanked the assistant coaches who helped lead the team to victory: Assistant Head Coach Gustavo Barbosa, and Assistant Coaches Francis McCarthy, JP Goncalves, Luis Ayala, and Alejandro Ramirez, with whom he has coached the team for eleven years.

“To us, this program is more than just soccer. It’s our community and we’re proud of it. The boys are a perfect example and personify that spirit every time they come to school or step on the soccer field,” said Garcia.

This press release was produced by the City School District of New Rochelle. The views expressed here are the author’s own.