On the mark: 2016 All-Brooklyn girls’ soccer honors

It was a season of high-scoring matches in Brooklyn this fall as some of the city’s top players took to the field across the borough.

Fontbonne Hall Academy finished strong in the Catholic High School Athletic Association, picking up the Tier-2 Brooklyn-Queens title. Grand Street Campus and Brooklyn Tech once again led the charge in the Public Schools Athletic League with strong finishes at the top of the division. Midwood also impressed, posting an 11–1 recording during the regular season, after winning just eight games in the last two years.

Here are the players who made it all happen:

Player of the Year

Kerene Johnson,
Grand Street Campus

The junior was an offensive force whenever she had the ball at her feet this season. Johnson racked up 65 points in the regular season — the most in Brooklyn A — including a whopping 29 goals on just 34 shots. Her speed up the field made it difficult for any opposing defenses to slow her down. She also notched eight total assists and wrapped up the season with three goals in the playoffs.

Coach of the Year

Peter Schmidt-Nowara, Brooklyn Tech

The Engineers have become one of the most consistent programs in Brooklyn and the squad, once again, notched an impressive record this fall. Brooklyn Tech wrapped up the regular season 12–0, notching the program’s third-straight league title. It was the squad’s front line, however, that was most impressive. Schmidt-Nowara put together an offensive front that was nothing short of dominant, and Brooklyn Tech racked up double-digit goals in four different games.

All-Area First Team

Nia Blankson,
Brooklyn Tech

The freshman phenom was a scoring force this fall. She racked up 20 goals during the regular season and added another three in the postseason. Blankson also chipped in eight assists.

Janette Vivar, New Utrecht

The sophomore notched a league-leading 21 goals in 12 games this season, jump-starting the New Utrecht front line.

Autumn Blizzard,
James Madison

Blizzard was a picture of offensive efficiency this fall, scoring 15 regular-season goals on just 47 shots. She added another goal during the postseason and also chipped in six assists. The freshman’s 36 points were third in Brooklyn A-III.

Sophia DeLorenzo,
Brooklyn Tech

The Engineers were a young squad this season, but players like DeLorenzo made sure that youth wasn’t an obstacle. The freshman found the back of the net 13 times this fall and added seven assists as well, finishing second on the team in scoring.

Brigid Reilly, Midwood

The senior captain was the Hornets’ leader on and off the field as the squad dropped just one regular-season game this year. An aggressive force on the front line, Reilly racked up seven goals and four assists this fall.

Chelsea Saquicili,
HS Telecommunication

The Yellow Jackets senior was the spark that made her squad go this year, notching six goals in 12 regular-season games. She was at her best pushing the ball forward and setting up her teammates, however, racking up 14 assists as well.

Stacy Guaman,
Grand Street Campus

The junior co-captain did a little bit of everything for the Lady Wolves this season, racking up 13 goals and 27 assists during the first 12 games of the year. She also chipped in an assist during the playoffs, but Guaman’s biggest strength was her on-field leadership, directing her teammates on both sides of the ball.

Samantha Rom,
Bishop Kearney

It wasn’t a dominant season for Bishop Kearney, but Rom was a bright spot on defense, bringing experience and leadership to the squad’s back line. She finished her career with a spot on the Mayor’s Cup roster.

Erin Kennedy,
Fontbonne Hall Academy

The senior helped lead her squad to the top of the Brooklyn-Queens standings, serving as the anchor on a strong defensive line. Fontbonne Hall didn’t give up more than one goal in any game and notched five shutouts. Kennedy wrapped up her high school career with an appearance in the Mayor’s Cup.

Nili Cuante, Midwood

The senior was a big-time source of confidence in net for the Hornets this year, giving up just six goals in the regular season. She hauled in 97 saves, including 18 in Midwood’s playoff match, and allowed goals in just three games.