Soccer runs in the blood of Cosby’s Ryan Londeree.
Growing up, the senior’s sport was soccer. His cousins played it, and his entire family adored the sport. So, Londeree was raised with soccer in his system.
With Londeree’s cousins, there was competitiveness. Not only did he want to play soccer with his cousins, he said, but he wanted to excel past them. He wanted to be the best.
Now, the 2024 All-Metro boys soccer player of the year, Londeree is Richmond’s best.
Boys soccer: Hayes the hero again for undefeated Cosby to win Class 6 state title in OT
“I was the youngest cousin, I just wanted to do what they did,” Londeree said. “I always wanted to be better than my cousins.”
People are also reading…
This past year, Londeree, a captain at Cosby, led the Titans to the Class 6 state title and an undefeated season. The star midfielder was the Class 6 state player of the year, the Gatorade state player of the year and is headed to VCU next season for soccer.
Cosby celebrating its Class 6 state championship victory.
During the state-title winning season at Cosby he helped anchor the defense, one that only allowed eight goals in a 22-0 campaign and kept a clean sheet in the state semifinals. He tacked on 10 goals and 15 assists for good measure.
“It’s awesome,” Londeree said after he was named Gatorade state player of the year.
“I think winning a state championship definitely helped my cause with it but it’s awesome. It’s something I always wanted to have. So now I get my banner in the school for the rest of my life.”
Growing up, Londeree played club soccer with both Richmond United and Richmond Kickers. Londeree was with Richmond United through middle school and some of high school before going to Kickers before his junior year.
Cosby’s Ryan Londeree is named this year’s All Metro boy’s soccer player of the year, Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
Londeree played with Cosby his junior and senior seasons. It worked out well, and lots of his Titans teammates play for Kickers as well.
“When I switched to Richmond Kickers, I would say (there was) a lot more enjoyment because I didn’t have as much weighing on me during the whole process,” Londeree said.
“I had a lot of the guys that are on our high school team playing for my Richmond Kickers team, so it was good to get in with them early and start training with them.”
That training paid off. Cosby soccer, coached by Michael Anderson, was Class 6’s best this year. In his junior season, the Titans lost in the regional semifinals to Landstown and missed out on the state tournament.
That was Londeree’s first high school season and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He’s competitive and wants to be the best, and that result wasn’t the best.
Cosby’s Ryan Londeree chases after the ball at Mills E. Godwin High School on June 8, 2024, in Richmond, Va.
Londeree and his teammates came together and trained harder that offseason — they wanted the state title.
“Last year ended with, I would say, a big loss that we did not want,” Londeree said. “This year, we went back and we all wanted the same thing, so we went out there and got a ring for our school.”
Cosby’s Ryan Londeree is named this year’s All Metro boy’s soccer player of the year, Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
Londeree said the regular season wasn’t too challenging for the team, but in practice they got ready like every game would be challenging, a lesson he learned from the previous postseason.
In the region and state tournament, Londeree and his Titans played with that championship mentality. On May 31, Cosby ran into Landstown again, this time coming out with the win in the region final. Then the Titans cruised through the state quarterfinals and semifinals to set up the title game with McLean.
In a three-overtime affair, Cosby prevailed 2-1. Deniss Hayes, a first-team All-Metro selection, scored the golden goal and the Titans were champs.
Cosby’s Ryan Londeree is named this year’s All Metro boy’s soccer player of the year, Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Londeree said. “It was unbelievable, it’s still nuts to even think about. You don’t even realize you have so much adrenaline in the moment.”
Londeree doesn’t have too much time to recover from the win: the senior joins the VCU squad in early August along with teammates Deniss and Nikita Hayes.
Originally, staying close to home wasn’t in Londeree’s plans but he added the more he thinks about it, the more it makes sense. Now, he couldn’t be more excited to suit up for the Rams, even with the short season turnaround time.
“I’m so ready for it,” Londeree said. “I’m ready for the next level.”
Londeree leaves Cosby as a legacy. He’ll head to VCU as a state champ with lots of accolades to his name, including All-Metro boys soccer player of the year.
“That’s what I wished for,” Londeree said. “It’s finally coming true. But I never really thought about it that much, that all three of (All-Metro, Gatorade and state player of the year honors) would happen and a state championship. So it’s a great feeling.”
Meet the rest of the first team
Collegiate’s Joshua Parker and Charles Nolde celebrate after Parker’s goal in double overtime gave the Cougars their fifth state championship.
Charles Nolde
About: Nolde was the VISAA player of the year and Prep League player of the year while leading Collegiate to a state title in the fall. The senior had 28 goals and 21 assists this season, including seven game-winning goals. He’s a five-year varsity starter and has a career-record of 74-8-5. Coach Rob Ukrop said Nolde was the Cougars emotional leader, and has been dominant for the team on both sides of the ball. Nolde was selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-America team and this is his second-straight All-Metro first-team nod.
Atlee senior Will Apostolides slides in for a steal against Warhill’s Luke Gray.
Will Apostolides
About: A first-team all-state selection, Apostolides makes his first appearance on the All-Metro first team. He’s a four-year varsity starter for the Raiders and led the team to the Class 4 state tournament, where Atlee reached the quarterfinals. He was the Region 4B player of the year, scored 18 goals, had six assists and captained the team. Apostolides was a big part of the Raiders’ region championship this season.
Carter Neuman
About: Scoring 14 goals and racking up 12 assists for the Eagles this year, Neuman was pivotal in the team’s season turnaround in 2024. Neuman was a first-team all-state selection, the Region 5C player of the year, and led Godwin back to the state tournament. He was the Godwin soccer player of the year, a two-year captain and first-team all-region honoree. Neuman earns his first All-Metro first-team bid after the Eagles went 16-4-1 and fell to Riverside in the state quarterfinals.
Deniss Hayes
About: A VCU recruit, Hayes was the leading goal scorer for the Titans this season and vital in the team’s state championship run. Hayes finished the year with 22 goals, five of them coming in the state tournament, and scored the game-winning goal in the state championship game. Hayes is a first-team all-state and all-region selection. Hayes joins Ryan Londeree and Nikita Hayes as All-Metro selections headed to VCU next school year.
Dale DiNapoli
School: Mechanicsville
About: DiNapoli is on the All-Metro first-team following a state tournament run for Mechanicsville — the first in more than 40 years. The senior had 11 goals and 15 assists, was first-team all-state and is a two-time first-team all-region selection. DiNapoli was pivotal for the Mustangs, who went 14-4-1 before falling to Smithfield in the state quarterfinals. DiNapoli is the all-time leading goal scorer in Mechanicsville history and a two-year captain for the Mustangs.
Peter Hartmann added a hat trick against Cape Henry Collegiate to bring his season goal total to 18, second best on the team behind Charles Nolde.
Peter Hartmann
About: A newcomer to the Cougars this fall, Hartmann fit right in and made an impact immediately as Collegiate won the VISAA state title. He had 19 goals and seven assists, and was dominant in the midfield. He was a first-team all-state and all-Prep League selection as well. Ukrop said Hartmann was sensational this year, and controlled the tempo in all of the Cougars matches. Hartmann had eight game-winning goals from his attacking role in central midfield.
Nikita Hayes
About: A stalwart in defense for the Titans, Hayes, a VCU recruit, was named first-team all-state and first-team all-region for Region 6A. He was named most outstanding defender for Cosby, and set up the game-winning goal in the state final against McLean. With Hayes’ help, the Titans were undefeated in 2024, going 22-0, winning the regional championship in addition to the state title. He will join Dennis Hayes and Ryan Londeree as Titans at VCU next season.
Brady Zsori
About: Zsori, a first-time All-Metro first-team pick, gets the nod after Atlee’s region title season and run in the Class 4 state tournament. Zsori is a first-team all-state selection and was a big part of the Raiders goal differential, as the team scored 82 and allowed only 10. Coach Glen Klesat said Zsori was the team’s lockdown defender and went up against the other team’s best attackers. The senior had three goals and three assists and was also a first-team Region 4B selection in his final year with the Raiders.
Beckett Schofield
School: St. Christopher’s
About: A big part of St. Chris’ run to the state title game, Schofield was the leading defender for the Saints. Coach Jay Wood said Schofield was the backbone of the team, and as a co-captain, he directed the defense well and had good cover. He helped St. Chris shut out seven teams during the fall 2023 season, was a first-team all-state selection and won the outstanding senior award for the Saints. Wood said the Saints were a better team with Schofield on the field and the first-time All-Metro first-team selection handled the ball well all year.
Henry Houser
About: Houser was the main goalkeeper for the Titans in their state title-winning season in 2024, and a big part of that state championship win. Cosby didn’t surrender more than one goal in a game all season and Houser was a big part of that. In addition to that, the team gave up only eight goals all year and Houser came up big in the triple-overtime game against McLean to get that state title. Anderson said Houser was outstanding in goal all season long.
Coach of the year
Michael Anderson
About: Anderson, in his 39th year as head coach, takes home All-Metro coach of the year honors after leading the Titans to a 22-0 record and a Class 6 state title. Anderson was the Class 6 coach of the year and had five players combined on the all-state teams. Under his lead, the team bounced back from a region semifinal loss. Anderson enters his 40th season next year and Londeree credited Anderson’s coaching as a large part of Cosby’s success in 2024.
Meet the second team
Deniss Hayes golden goal to win the Class 6 state championship against McLean.
F/S: Jack Bleecher, St. Christopher’s
F: Seth Langford, Hanover
M: Shaan Agarwal, Collegiate
M: Neil Myers, Collegiate
D: Fletcher Waran, Hanover
D: Steven Bishara, St. Christopher’s
D: Jackson Carlyon, St. Christopher’s
GK: Thomas Word, Collegiate
Honorable mentions
Drew Vantre, Deep Run; Anthony Gambardella, Benedictine; Kenyon Kantiok, Matoaca; Joey Smith, Matoaca; Elliot Belton, Hanover; Matthew Gavin, Godwin; Talon Serafim, Godwin; Hayes Sheppard, Trinity Episcopal; Noah Benson, Steward; Dixon Mescall, Steward; Elijah McEntire, Veritas; Dawson Reeves, Veritas; Stratton Reeves, Veritas; Charlie Laughlin, Veritas; Issac Torres, Cosby; Bryce Davitt, Maggie Walker; Chanan Wijesooriya, Maggie Walker; Jesse Rho, Maggie Walker; Owen Eklund, ARGS.
Note: Honorable mentions are based on region and state results and nominations sent to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Previous All-Metro players of the year
2023: Wes Wise, St. Christopher’s
2022: Parker Sloan, Powhatan
2021: Thomas Vincent, Cosby
2019: Jin Kim, Mills Godwin
2018: Alexander Levengood, St. Christopher’s
2017: Holden Fisher, Mills Godwin
2016: Holden Fisher, Mills Godwin
2014: Matt Szucs, Midlothian
2013: Finnlay Wyatt, Midlothian
2012: Dan Lauretano, Thomas Dale
2010: Mason Page, Matoaca
2009: Will Bates, Thomas Dale
2008: Brian Ownby, Deep Run
2007: Zach Morgan, Benedictine; Ian Stowe, Clover Hill
2006: Max Hare, St. Christopher’s; Roger Bothe, Thomas Dale
2005: Kevin McFadden, Collegiate; Roger Bothe, Thomas Dale
2004: Matt Ayotte, Clover Hill
2003: Adam Cristman, Mills Godwin
2002: Adam Cristman, Mills Godwin
2001: Pete Woody, Douglas Freeman
2000: Tim Hogan, Douglas Freeman
1999: Justin Nall, Midlothian
Mills Godwin’s Luke Smyers (8) waits for the third innings to begin against First Colonial’s during the state final Saturday, June 7, 2024 at Glen Allen High School in Henrico County.
