The season over in Brooklyn was about new faces emerging. Fort Hamilton had its best campaign in recent memory, winning a share of the PSAL Brooklyn A-III title and Grand Street Campus finished 10-2 to take the Brooklyn A-VIII crown. Goldstein made its first playoff appearance as an ‘A’ team. The one familiar program, Fontbonne Hall, was as good as ever. The Bonnies recaptured the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens title and were undefeated in the regular season.
All-Brooklyn Girls Soccer Player of the Year: M Katie Henderson, Fontbonne Hall
If there was something happening on offense, Kate Henderson was in the middle of it for Fontbonne Hall. The junior was always very active around the ball using her speed and smarts to keep plays alive. She scored 26 goals and dished out 15 assists and was the Bonnies’ leading scorer. Henderson was able to slip a pass or a shot through the perfect spot. She had a hand in four of Fontbonne’s five goals in its Brooklyn/Queens championship victory over Notre Dame. It was the Bonnies’ fifth in six years.
All-Brooklyn Girls Soccer Coach of the Year: Edward Coyne, Fort Hamilton
The Tigers completed one of the PSAL’s best turnarounds this season. A year ago they finished 3-9, sixth in Brooklyn A-III and out of the playoffs. Coyne tweaked the team’s offensive set a bit and built off its experience. This year Fort Hamilton finished 9-2-1 and shared the division crown with Brooklyn Tech. It earned a No. 7 seed in the PSAL Class A playoffs and won its first-round game.
All-Brooklyn First Team
F Christina Abbate, Bishop Kearney
Coach Charlie Candela moved Abbate from the back line to the forward position a few games into the season to spark his team’s offense. The senior responded by turning into the team’s leading scorer, tallying 13 goals, as the Tigers reached the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens semifinals.
M Jasmine Cardona, Fort Hamilton
The junior spent most of last season on defense because of her speed and skill. She and teammate Katie Fagan petitioned coach Ed Coyne to move her to offense. The result was 14 goals and nine assists, two apiece in the playoffs. She was the Tigers’ catalyst at midfield.
F Katie Fagan, Fort Hamilton
No one benefited more from Jasmine Cardona being moved to midfield than Fagan. The senior is explosive on the outside, great with the ball at her feet and has an accurate shot. Fagan had just three goals and two assists last season, but tallied 15 and nine, respectively, this season.
M Neri Halperin, Brooklyn Tech
The junior has been one of the PSAL’s best and most explosive players for the last two seasons and didn’t disappoint again. Halperin scored 18 goals and dished out 14 assists this season, leading them to a share of the Brooklyn A-III title. She is one of the best in the city with the ball at her feet, dribbling through multiple defenders.
M Cindy Henderson, Fontbonne Hall
Henderson emerged as one of the best and most dependable freshmen in the city. She tallied 12 goals and six assists and is as speedy as they come. This certainly doesn’t appear to the last time you will see Henderson on one of these lists.
GK Sasha Hernandez, Leon Goldstein
The emergence of Hernandez in her first season in goal was a big reason for Goldstein’s improvement this season. The sophomore used her great athleticism and instincts in the net to stifle defenders. She made 12 stops, including a punch save over the crossbar in the Dolphins’ first-round playoff win.
M Kate Mason, Bishop Kearney
The junior was moved to midfield to improve the Tigers ability to turn stops on defense in transition and scoring opportunities going the other way. Mason didn’t disappoint scoring eight goals and sparking the Kearney offense with sister Emily and Christina Abbate.
F Kristiana Padavona, Fontbonne Hall
The sophomore came back from flue like symptoms in time for the Brooklyn/Queens championship games. She scored 10 goals and had eight assists to lead the Bonnies to their fifth title in six years. Padavona possesses the ability to read a play before it happens.
F Colleen Ryan, Fontbonne Hall
Ryan may be the Bonnies’ most skillful player. The junior tallied 15 goals and nine assists. Coach Victor Popovsky called her one of the team’s leaders, a threat on breakaways and a superb passer. Ryan was a major part of the Bonnies’ undefeated regular season and trip to the CHSAA state semifinals.
F Pamela Wishart, Leon M. Goldstein
The freshman exploded on to the scene this season, scoring 11 goals and dishing out four assists and helping lead the Dolphins to their first Class A playoff appearance. Wishart possesses pure speed and can make multiple defenders miss. Even when she misses her shots, they appear like they are going in.
M Jessica Wishart, Midwood
The Hornets may not have had the greatest level of success as team this season, finisheing just 5-6, but Wishart did her part. The senior scored 14 goals and had eight assists. She made the players around her better. Wishart is as skillful with the ball as any player in the city and a superb passer on the run.
All-Brooklyn Honorable Mention
M Adilene Ceja, Grand Street Campus
M Jessica Dahldorf, Poly Prep
F Serene Drakes, Midwood
F Emily Mason, Bishop Kearney
D Julia Miller, Poly Prep
D Kaitlihn Morris, Fort Hamilton
M Yanique Newman, Lincoln
GK Ryan Anne O’Connell, Brooklyn Tech
M Jessica Riccardi, Brooklyn Tech
D Danielle Semilia, Bishop Kearney
M Aycin Yalcin, FDR
