By Joseph Staszewski
Christ the King again ruled over the Queens girls’ soccer landscape.
The Royals rolled to a fifth-straight CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens “AA” title. They won their first Catholic city crown and had St. Anthony’s on the rope early in their second-straight CHSAA state final appearance. Monsignor McClancy couldn’t make it two straight diocesan “A” crowns, falling to St. Edmund in the title game.
Francis Lewis reached the PSAL Class A semifinals for the second straight year and just fell short of the championship game. Benjamin Cardozo and Bayside remained among the best in their divisions, while Bryant improved greatly.
Plenty of great players contributed to these moments. Here are those considered the best of the best in Queens:
All-Queens Girls’ Soccer Player of Year: Medina Mulic, Christ the King
Mulic, a four-year starter, dominates games more quietly than she did in years past, but her play at midfield or on defense are usually why Christ the King controls play. The C.W. Post-bound Mulic scored 11 goals and handed out 11 assists to help the Royals win a fourth straight diocesan and city crown.
All-Queens Girls Soccer Coach of the Year: Eleni Sotiriou, Francis Lewis
Sotiriou took over for Jeovani Paredes and Lewis didn’t miss a beat in her first season. The Patriots, despite a young roster, reclaimed the division title, losing just once to rival Cardozo. Sotiriou was the calming and cohesive force behind a run back to the PSAL Class A semifinals, where the Patriots lost in overtime.
All-Queens First Team
D/M Lenore Aponte,
Bayside
The senior’s speed and smarts made her the most versatile player on the field for the Commodores. Aponte could single- handedly shut down an opponent’s offensive attack and she scored 10 goals of her own.
M Sabrina Blaskovic,
St. Francis Prep
St. Francis Prep graduated plenty of scoring from last year’s squad and Blaskovic more than made up for it. She came up big when needed, too, scoring SFP’s lone goal in the Nassau/Suffolk Class A final.
M/D Autumn Brown,
St. Francis Prep
A combination of superior speed and strength make Brown as tough a sweeper to crack as there is in the borough. The senior also stepped up into the offensive end when needed and scored big goals for the Terriers.
F Geraldine Guese,
William Bryant
Bryant moved into the elite tier of Queens teams and the breakout year from Guese was the driving force. The senior scored a career-high 14 goals and distributed four assists to help Bryant tie Bayside for the division crown.
M Jacklyn Lada,
Francis Lewis
The sophomore picked up right where she left off last year, continuing to be Lewis’ most consistent offensive threat. The midfielder scored 12 goals and handed out 15 assists, including one and one in the semifinals
F Maria Lardas,
Benjamin Cardozo
Lardas thrived in first-year coach Patrick Frazer’s system. The senior posted career highs in goals (12) and assists (4) while helping Cardozo earn a tie atop the division with Francis Lewis.
M Samantha Margolis,
Francis Lewis
Margolis continues to show improvement each season and was a big reason the Patriots went back to the semifinals. The junior midfielder scored three of her 12 goals in the playoffs and also dished out 12 assists on the year.
GK Kimberly Moreira,
Christ the King
The junior keeper was the backbone of the Royals’ defense. Moreira allowed just four goals all season and posted four shutouts, including in the diocesan final. Her athleticism allows her to make the tough saves.
F Sarah Nolan, Christ the King
The senior and four-year varsity starter is as dangerous as any player in the final third. Nolan scored 10 goals and dished out five assists. Six of those scores came against division rival Mary Louis.
D Diana Paravatos,
Christ the King
Paravatos has been a stalwart on the backline for the Royals during her four years. The sweeper’s instincts and quickness make her a nightmare on opposing offenses. She also scored a goal and chipped in two assists.
Honorable Mention
F Jessica Buckley,
Scholars Academy
M April Cabral, Francis Lewis
M Kiana Leger,
Christ the King
GK Hallee Pell Brown, Townsend Harris
F Michelle Rodriguez, Thomas Edison
F Nikole Saa,
Monsignor McClancy
M Eleni Spiratos,
Benjamin Cardozo
GK Anna Trevellini,
Francis Lewis
M Alex Ulic,
Monsignior McClancy
F Nicolette Warglics,
Mary Louis
