THE SPORTS REPORTS: NOTRE DAME'S KEOUGH NAMED GIRLS SOCCER ALL-REGION 'PLAYER OF YEAR;' WILLIAMSON'S WOODRING ALSO EARNS TOP HONOR — WEST LANDS SIX ON ALL-REGION TEAMS (2024-12-24)

The Sports Reports
It was a strong girls' soccer season with sectional titles, and standout seasons.

Now, it’s time to recognize the area’s best players with The Sports Reports Girls’ Soccer All-Region Team.

Notre Dame won a sectional title and reached a regional final. The Crusaders’ Makenna Keough is The Sports Reports "Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year.”

Keough had 22 goals and 16 assists this year, leading players in the region in points this year.

The "Offensive Player of the Year" is Alexis McRoberts of Troy. McRoberts had 18 goals and three assists this year, despite playing a dominant defensive role a lot of times for the Trojans.

The "Defensive Player of the Year" is Horseheads' junior Katie Miley.

Miley is a junior center-back and captain. She took over a more defensive role this year and dominated throughout the year for the Blue Raiders, including multiple break-away denials and two goal-line clearnaces to save goals on the year, along with countless one-on-one tackles.

The Waverly Wolverines won their first-ever sectional title and freshman Gianna Soprano is the "Newcomer of the Year." She scored three goals this year, but the biggest was the one that gave the Wolverines a 1-0 lead on it’s way to a 2-0 win over Chenango Forks for its first-ever Section IV title. She also had four assists.

Waverly coach Tara Hogan is the "Coach of the Year." She’s had a very successful career with the Wolverines, reaching the Section IV finals on three occasions prior to this year, but all three ended with losses to Forks, which went on to win a pair of state titles in that span. This year, the Wolverines beat Forks for the program’s first sectional crown.

Williamson goalie Ashley Woodring is the "Goalkeeper of the Year." She had 134 saves on the year and nine shutouts.

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PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Makenna Keough, Notre Dame.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Alexis McRoberts, Troy.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Katie Miley, Horseheads.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Gianna Soprano, Waverly.
GOALIE OF THE YEAR: Ashley Woodring, Williamson.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tara Hogan, Waverly

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ALL-REGION FIRST TEAM
Makenna Keough, Notre Dame: See above.

Katie Miley, Horseheads: See above.

Alexis McRoberts, Troy: See above.

Ashley Woodring, Williamson: See above.

MK Young, Notre Dame: Young was one of the top goal-scorers with 24 goals this year, along with 10 assists for the Crusaders as they reached a regional final.

Maddie Ribble, Horseheads: Ribble had nine goals and three assists as a sophomore ... striker, team leader in goals, and an all-conference player. Her speed and athleticism up front helped Horseheads play their game and keep people on their toes.

Lilia Mack, Corning: Mack is a two-time all-conference player who will play college soccer. She played soccer for RNY all year, dedicating herself to improving her game. She was the playmaker for the team and often on both ends of the field. She took all the team’s corner kicks and converted a cross for the game-winner in the sectional final.

Ashaya Wallace, Elmira: A two-year STAC all-conference defender, Wallace was a five-year varsity starter. She started as a left-back for three years and then moved to center-back, making all-conference both years she played there.

Delanie Patton, Athens: Patton, who was a force in the midfield, played from end-to-end. She scored 10 goals and doled out seven assists.

Sophia Haney, Tioga: Haney, who utilizes speed, has a strong leg and is a top-notch finisher. She scored 18 goals, and dished out seven assists, despite missing the final six games of the season.

Grace Howey, Tioga: Howey, another player with a sky-high soccer IQ and all the tools to go with it, led the Valley in goals scored with 21 and in assists with 14.

Maci Wheeler, Waverly: Wheeler is a fast and aggressive defender who is not afraid of contact. She was the last line of defense on a team that allowed 21 goals in 18 games, with nine of those coming against Section IV Class A champ Chenango Valley. Wheeler also dished out four assists on the season.

Makenzie Olmstead, Waverly: Olmsted, who is a bit under-sized, plays with grit, heart, and toughness belying her size. She has good foot skills, good speed, and a strong leg, but most importantly a sky-high soccer IQ. Olmsted, who spent a great deal of time this season in the defensive end, finished the season with five goals and one assist.

Ashlyn Dalton, Owego: Fast, with good foot skills, and a strong and accurate leg, Dalton scored 17 of Owego's 27 goals this season, and also dished out four assists.

Adriana Finta, Newark Valley: Finta led the Cardinals in scoring using a strong leg, and a good head for the game.

Ally Lyon, freshman, SVEC: A talented finisher with a strong leg, good foot skills, and good speed, Lyon was among the leading scorers in the region with 21 goals and seven assists.

Maddie Bailey, Williamson: Bailey had 10 goals and 10 assists on the year.

Anna Dunn, Towanda: Dunn was one of the premier scorers in the region with 25 goals on the season for the Black Knights.

Saydi Renzo, Troy: A dynamic goal-scorer, Renzi had 25 goals on the year for the Trojans.

Clair Clonch, Waverly: Clonch was in net for the Wolverines, who won a Section IV, Class B title with a 13-5 record. She allowed 21 goals in 18 games, but recorded nine shutouts, and three games with just one goal allowed.

ALL-REGION SECOND TEAM
Miriah Buck, Williamson: Buck had a strong season defensively for the Warriors.

Addison Taft, Elmira: A STAC West all-division pick as a forward, Taft started the year at center-back and then moved to forward when the team needed her to take on the role. Once she went to forward, she scored several key goals as the season progressed, totaling 10 goals on the year.

Sophia ReSue, Corning: ReSue gave defenders fits with her speed. She played close to every second all season, and is a three-year all-division player.

Jhamairah Maxwell, Notre Dame: Maxwell had 11 goals and 13 assists on the season for the Crusaders.

Ellie Green, Notre Dame: An IAC all-star, Green was a force on defense for the Crusaders.

Hannah Lasko, Edison: Lasso scored all four Edison goals on the season — its first-ever varsity season. She was a first-team IAC all-star.

Delaney Billbe, Elmira: An 8th-grader, Bible was one of the best goalkeepers in the STAC. She had eight shutouts on the year and a handful of big saves every game for the Express, many of them game-changing or game-saving saves.

Sydney Blunt, Horseheads: Blunt had six goals and seven assists this year. A sophomore striker, and all-STAC West pick, Blunt is fast and athletic scored goals to beat the two top teams in the division.

Kaitlyn Sutton, Waverly: A presence in the midfield for the Wolverines, Sutton used her speed and foot skills to score six goals, and dish out four assists.

Savannah Persun, Athens: A lock-down defender, Persun also possessed a long throw-in that created opportunities on the offensive end.

McKenna Jarvis, Athens: Fast, aggressive, and physical, Jarvis is not afraid on contact and was a force on the defensive end for the Wildcats.

Kiley Stillman, Waverly: A physical player with good speed and a determined nature on the pitch, Stillman scored eight goals and dished out four assists.

Erica Bradley, Tioga: Bradley, a physical and skilled player with a bit of an attitude (in a good way), was a defensive standout for most of her career, but moved up the field this year, and produced with 10 goals and 10 assists.

Isabella Silvestri, senior, Owego: Using a good handle on the game and athleticism, Silvestri was a strong presence in the midfield for the River Hawks. She had three assists on the season.

Cadia Fain, senior, Owego: Fain was a standout defender for the River Hawks in their march to a postseason berth.

Giana Renzi, Troy: Renzo scored 15 goals on the season for the Trojans.

ALL-REGION THIRD TEAM
Madi Palmer, Troy: Palmer had a strong season on the defensive end for the Trojans.

Meradyth Stouffer, SVEC: A strong presence in the midfield, Stouffer scored 10 goals and dished out five assists.

Aubrey Kwiatkowski, Newark Valley: A strong presence in the midfield, Kwiatkowski was a key cog in the Cardinals' offense attack this season.

Elizabeth Reigle, Owego: Reigle made a big impact for a freshman, scoring four goals and dishing out four assists.

Maggie Calkins, Corning: A strong player who never left the field, Calkins kept Corning in a lot of games. An all-division defender, she plays year-round and has been a three-year starter.

Caitlin Slavin, Horseheads: A senior leader and heart of the team, Slavin had team-best nine assists and four goals. And, she did it all with a partially torn knee all season.

Emma Kamas, Horseheads: Kamas scored one goal and dished out four assists. A senior captain and center-defensive mid, who had made all-Southern Tier and All-Conference a year ago, she had countless tackles won, and was a leader on the field.

Payton Sutryk, Notre Dame: The goalie had a strong season in goal and was an IAC first-team all-star.

Jessica Als, Horseheads: Als had 121 saves and nine shutouts on the year. She kept Horseheads competitive and made school history with her 121 saves in a single-season, while missing three games through concussions. She 22 saves in one game in the first meeting with Vestal of the year.

Aurora Parlo, Edison: The team’s sweeper and top defender. Parlo was an all-IAC second-team pick.

Anna Lee, Williamson: Lee had eight goals and six assists on the year.

Zeraya Wilson, Williamson: Wilson had seven goals and seven assists on the year.

Brooke Wilcox, NP-Mansfield: Wilcos had nine goals and two assists on the season.

Madelyn Seeley, Troy: Seeley was a force in the net for the NTL champion Trojans.

Kylee Roy, Troy:  A defensive-midfielder for the NTL champion Trojans.

Annamary Slocum, Wyalusing: A center-back for the Rams this year.

Lillie Maynard, Northeast Bradford: A defensive-midfielder for the Panthers.

Leah Beebe, Northeast Bradford: A standout in the net, Beebe reached 1,000 career saves this year for the Panthers.

Chloe Bennett, Wyalusing: Bennett scored 18 goals on the year for the Rams.

ALL-REGION ROOKIE TEAM
Gianna Soprano, Waverly: See above.

Delaney Billbe, Elmira: See above

Sydney Blunt, Horseheads: See above.

Kate Bryant, Wellsboro: Bryant scored one goal and dished out six assists on the season.

Gracelyn Wheeler, Elmira: An 8th-grader, Wheeler started every game and scored nine goals.

Madison Doran, Elmira: A 7th grader, Doran started nearly every game for Elmira and played many significant minutes at midfield. She scored the lone goal in a 1-0 home win over Corning.

Kyah Renzo, Troy: Renzo was Northern Tier Sports Report's "Newcomer of the Year."

Hailey Hamilton, Elmira: An 8th-grader, Hamilton started every game at forward.

Kianna Mann, Corning: A transfer student Mann made an immediate impact as a tenacious defender who often guarded the other team’s best player. She is a central-midfielder, but her athleticism makes her incredibly versatile.

Brynna Walsh, Corning: Walsh joined the team mid-season and is a talented player who will make a big impact throughout the future.

Ashley Giammichele, Horseheads: A sophomore center-attacking mid, Giammichele had a breakout season meeting some big goals and assists. Her season was cut short two days before the sectional final with an injury.