In an old tradition made new, the State Press is bringing back the All-State Press team. This honors the best athletes from each semester based on their on-field performance and off-field contributions to the community.
First Team: Junior forward Cali Farquharson (soccer), redshirt junior wide receiver Jaelen Strong (football) and junior outside hitter Macey Gardner (volleyball)
In Farquharson and Gardner, we have two veteran ASU stars who are some of the very best in the Pac-12 at their positions. In Strong, we have the man who gifted Sun Devil fans with such amazing plays as the Jael-Mary and multiple one-handed touchdown grabs.
Although injuries hobbled her toward the end of the season, Farquharson led the women's soccer team with 32 points, six more than the next closest player.
Gardner played at an extremely high level all season, recording 629 points in 130 sets. That mark is 300 points higher than the team's second-leading scorer. She also recorded 560 kills (nearly 300 more than the next best on the squad) which was good for third in the Pac-12.
Strong's season was phenomenal on many levels as he provided numerous highlight reel plays and jaw-dropping moments (like the now-infamous "Jael-Mary"). Even though he missed a game with concussion symptoms, he led the team with 75 receptions, 1,062 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Second Team: Junior Jon Rahm (golf), freshman forward Aly Moon (soccer) and junior setter Bianca Arrellano
When you break a record set by the best man to ever play professional golf, you've had a good year. That's what Rahm did back in September when he shot a 263 in the World Amateur Team Championship in Japan, breaking the tournament record of 269 that Jack Nicklaus set more than 50 years ago.
Rahm followed that up with an individual title at the Bill Cullum Invitational in October, edging Rico Hoey from USC thanks to 19 birdies in the tournament.
Moon's first season with the ASU soccer team was one to remember, as the forward finished behind only Farquharson with 26 points including 10 goals.
Her dynamic start began before the regular season even got going as she earned high praise from coach Kevin Boyd after the team's preseason scrimmage.
When you look at the numbers put up by Arellano this season, you might blink to make sure you're reading them correctly. After all, the junior recorded 1,338 assists while no other Sun Devil had more than 70.
In fact, no other setter in the Pac-12 had more than 1, 300. The next closest to Arellano had nearly 100 fewer assists on the season.
Third Team: Junior running back D.J. Foster (football), senior forward Liam Norris (hockey) and junior defender McKenzie Berryhill (soccer)
Foster was a dynamic threat out of the ASU backfield all season long, finishing with over 1,000 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns (nine rushing and three receiving).
Foster was more than just a speed demon — he was also the team's second leading receiver, and only one of three Sun Devils to have more than 500 receiving yards.
Norris has been phenomenal all season for the No. 1 ASU men's hockey team. This fall has been eventful for the team, as it raised its first-ever championship banner and learned that it would soon join the ranks of NCAA Division I.
Norris, who had been with the team long before the championship and NCAA move, leads the Sun Devils with 30 points on 22 assists and eight goals.
Berryhill was a rock on a Sun Devil defense that had its best goals against average since 2008. She anchored a back line that held its opponents to one goal or fewer 14 times this season.
Along with Farquarharson, Berryhill was named to the NCAA Division I Women's All-Pacific Region First Team. She also earned a placed on the First-Team All-Pac-12 roster.
Honorable Mention: (Tie) sophomore forwards Eric Rivard and Ryan Belonger (hockey) and (Tie) redshirt junior safety Jordan Simone and senior defensive lineman Marcus Hardison
Forward Eric Rivard makes a break down the ice at a home game against UA on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014. ASU beat UA 3-0. (Photo by Mario Mendez)Trying to choose between Rivard and Belonger for this list is splitting hairs, as the two have been almost equal in their contributions to the team.
Belonger is second on the team with 28 points while Rivard leads the team with 14 goals (one more than Belonger).
Equally difficult was trying to decide between Simone and Hardison, two veteran leaders whose consistent performance was key for ASU football this season.
Redshirt junior defensive back Jordan Simone celebrates with the crowd after winning against USC on Oct. 4, 2014. ASU won against 38-34. (Photo by Alexis Macklin)A remarkable season on the field for Simone was rewarded with his nomination for the 2014 Burlsworth Trophy, given to the most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on.
Simone stood out immediately as a leader for ASU's young defense, and finished the season as the team's second leading tackler. He also had 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
The second half of the season as truly one to remember for Hardison as he used his size (six-foot-four-inches, 300 pounds) and athleticism to dominate against Notre Dame (interception and two pass breakups), Oregon State (three tackles for loss) and Washington State (two sacks, a forced fumbled and an interception).
With 10 sacks on the season, Hardison finishes the season No. 13 in the country, tied for fourth in the Pac-12.
Honorable Mention — Lifetime Achievement Category: redshirt senior quarterback Taylor Kelly (football), senior Shelby Houlihan (cross country)
Redshirt senior quarterback Taylor Kelly throws a pass downfield during ASU's 52-31 win over Washington State at Sun Devil Stadium on Nov. 22, 2014. (Photo by Alexis Macklin)Many have been quick to criticize Kelly in a season that saw him set numerous school records and yet still be benched in the final quarter of the Territorial Cup showdown with UA.
Kelly broke his foot in the third game of the season, missed three games while he recovered from surgery and had a rocky return as he struggled at times and never reclaimed his electric 2013 form.
Setting that aside, Kelly won seven of his nine starts and capped off a brilliant career as a Sun Devil by being named the Pac-12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the year. Although Kelly's 2014 was one fraught with disappointments, his career when taken as a whole it certainly one worth remembering, and honoring.
NCAA crosscountry champion Shelby Houlihan poses when recognized with at a home football game against Utah on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014. Senior Shelby Houlihan won a Pac-12 title on Friday with a time of 19:59 in the 6,000 meter circuit in Oakland, California, and finished first in the 1,500-meter race at nationals last summer 4:18.10. (Photo by Alexis Macklin)Houlihan, like Kelly, achieved numerous accolades in her career, going out on top with a Pac-12 title and a West regional championship.
A three-time All-American, she also was the first ASU runner to record two top 10 finishes at nationals, placing ninth in 2014, and eighth in 2013 in the 6,000 meter final.
Houlihan still has track season remaining, where she will compete for a chance to defend her 1,500-meter outdoor title.
Assistant sports editor Stefan Modrich also contributed to this article.
Reach the sports editor at icbeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @ICBeck21
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CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this story erroneously contained a photo depicting Lloyd Carrington instead of D. J. Foster. It has been updated.
