NEW PALESTINE — The New Palestine boys soccer team has had the same, familiar face leading its offensive attack for the past three seasons — Elliott Canova.
While the goal-scoring was still there in his senior season, it was his ability to take a step back and become a more complete player that helped the Dragons reach heights they haven’t seen since 2015, and what makes him the 2023 Daily Reporter Hancock County Boys Soccer Athlete of the Year.
“His maturity, just in how he plays the game and how he sees the game, was different this year,” his dad and New Palestine head coach Brett Canova said. “This year his goals were down a bit, but I thought this was his most complete year, just in terms of how he helped us with possession, or how he moved to a position that wasn’t necessarily his strong suit. Being able to do all those things helped him have a more complete season.”
In 2021, Elliott led the Dragons with 15 goals and four assists, and in 2022 he matched those totals. This year, in his senior season, he didn’t reach that 15-goal mark, but was close. He scored a team-high 13 goals, and added four assists.
“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. Stats are just one thing, but it wouldn’t have happened without all of them,” Elliott said. “If I could, I’d give them every goal and assist, because really we all deserve it.”
While the stats show Canova’s ability on the pitch, it’s his willingness to do whatever the team needs him to do to win that made him even more valuable for the Dragons this season.
Normally a midfielder, Canova moved around positions all throughout the game, playing forward and even time back on defense when needed.
“Wherever we could move him to help somebody else get to a position that they played best,” coach Canova said. “We had some guys get injured and when guys needed rest, being able to move Elliott allowed us to get guys in the positions they needed to be in.”
The midfield is where he’s most comfortable though, and where he gets to show off his dribbling abilities and make things happen on offense.
“I get to be creative and can make stuff happen. I’m not stuck to an area and I can make a play happen by going up to the wing, or back to the midfield,” Elliott said. “You just have a lot of creativity to play with in that area.”
His playmaking from that position was more than evident this season. Normally the top goal scorer on the team by a wide margin over the past few seasons, this year the Dragons goals were more spread out.
Along with his 13 goals, fellow senior Andon Colclazier scored eight, Paxton Holmes had six, Cohen Wintin had five, and Cole Christopher had four.
“He did fantastic at stepping into that role. We had more guys score goals this year than we have in the past three years,” the coach said. “The team did a fantastic job of creating more scoring chances in different ways, and Elliott did a fantastic job at not only scoring but helping create some of those.”
Something that helped push Elliott to get to this level and become a more complete player in his senior season was his relationship with his dad, and his teammates.
He credits both with pushing him to become a better player.
“I just grew as a teammate and player. It’s nice to have a great group of guys to help you grow overall as a person and a player. That atmosphere and all of them just pushed me to get better,” Elliott said.
“Having your dad as a coach is a little weird after a game being like ‘cool, I can get away from him’ but then he just shows up at home. But it’s also cool because he’s known me my whole life and pushed me harder than I think I normally would’ve been. Sometimes it was harder than I would’ve liked, but it all paid off in the end.”
His dad also recognizes the challenges that it brought upon them with him having to act as both his father and his high school head coach, but wouldn’t trade that for the world either.
“It’s fantastic and something I’ll never forget. Being his dad, I couldn’t be more proud of him and happy for him,” coach Canova said. “But it’s also evenings and practices where we don’t see eye to eye. Since we are father and son, we’re a little more open about those things than others, and I try to do my best to not bring those things home, but there were times when it did and we just had to agree to disagree. For any father and son in coaching there’s absolutely wonderful moments, but it’s also a little more challenging.”
The father-son duo helped the Dragons to a 9-9 record, a 6-1 Hoosier Heritage Conference record, a share of the HHC title, their first sectional win since 2019, and their first sectional championship appearance since 2015.
“Those were fantastic moments. Not just for Elliott and I, but for the entire team,” coach Canova said. “This group of seniors worked hard to get back there and be consistent in what they did. It meant a lot to be able to do those things.”
“It was really cool for the team and the school. We hadn’t been there in a while,” Elliott said. “We had a really good team to do it, and a lot of support from everybody to make it happen.”
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2023 All-Hancock County Boys Soccer Team
Pos – Name, School;Class
M/F – Elliott Canova, New Palestine;12
M – Andon Colclazier, New Palestine;12
F – Charlie Cole, Mt. Vernon;10
M/F – Paxton Holmes, New Palestine;10
F – Shawn Houser, Mt. Vernon;10
F – Gavin Jack, Greenfield-Central;12
GK – Jordin Jones, Greenfield-Central;11
D – Alex Richwine, New Palestine;12
M – Colby Smith, Mt. Vernon;11
F – Axel Valladares, Greenfield-Central;11
M – Cohen Wintin, New Palestine;12
Player of the Year: Elliott Canova, New Palestine
Coach of the Year: Brett Canova, New Palestine
Honorable Mention
Greenfield-Central: Derek Harmon, Carson Cicenas
Mt. Vernon: Rylan Vinard, Brady Webber, Nick Heitman, Drew Lynch, Carson O’Farrell
New Palestine: Cole Christopher, Drew Potter
