Latest news with #SoccerPlayeroftheYear
Miami Herald
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Pembroke Pines Charter's Logan Hall is the 7A-5A Broward Boys' Soccer Player of the Year
Logan Hall was already an established soccer standout early in his high school career. But when he transferred to Pembroke Pines Charter from St. Thomas Aquinas, Hall learned what it took to be more of a leader on the field. He applied those skills well this season as one of the key factors in the Jaguars' unbeaten march to the state final four in Class 5A. For those efforts, Hall is the Miami Herald's Broward County Boys' Soccer Player of the Year for Classes 7A-5A. Hall, a Jacksonville University signee, led Pines Charter to the state final four for the second consecutive season after going unbeaten for 20 consecutive matches and winning 18 of them. He scored 16 goals and had nine assists during that stretch. Unfortunately for Hall and the Jaguars, they were unable to cap that run with an elusive state championship after losing in the Class 5A final to perennial powerhouse Tampa Jesuit. 'My senior year went great, especially transferring in from St. Thomas, I had high hopes,' Hall said. 'Our undefeated regular season was amazing and my teammates were amazing. We wanted the ring, but hey, it is what it is.' Hall, who had played mostly center back earlier in his career, also had to adapt to a more offensive role at the top this season. It led to his more prolific scoring output and made Pines Charter one of the more dangerous teams in the state overall. Hall felt he became more of a complete player after this transition and expects to carry that knowledge to the college level. 'I learned to adapt to change, playing striker,' Hall said. 'I learned a lot about leadership and both are things that will help me at the next level. 'Being up top, you have to finish your chances. You're under more pressure, but you get a lot of the glory as well.'
Miami Herald
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
St. Thomas Aquinas' Sophie Barnes is the Broward 7A-5A Girls' Soccer Player of the Year
It didn't take Sophie Barnes too long to begin making an impact when she joined the St. Thomas Aquinas girls' soccer team as a freshman. But Barnes hadn't completely settled in at that point. Her sophomore season served as a true breakthrough for someone who became one of Broward County's most dominant players. Barnes' efforts were at the forefront of St. Thomas Aquinas' march to the Class 6A state championship game while attaining at top 10 national ranking. And so, Barnes is the Miami Herald's Broward County Class 7A-5A Girls' Soccer Player of the Year. Barnes, a forward, scored 23 goals and recorded 10 assists this season. As part of one of the more talented squads in the country, Barnes nearly led the Raiders to a 16th state championship and first since 2017, which would have added to their state-leading total. A stunning 4-3 loss in overtime to Orange Park St. Johns Bartram Trail denied Aquinas this season. But Barnes is part of a core of starters that should be able to regroup for another attempt next season. 'We fell short at the final, but the entire year up to then we dominated and only lost one match,' Barnes said. 'We always worked hard to make it to that state game. We were unlucky, but we played our best. It took a lot because we had to build our chemistry and once we did we looked good and came out with those big wins.' Barnes, who was already a talented scorer and passer entering the season, said she became a more effective striker this season after developing more familiarity and on-field chemistry with her teammates in the midfield. 'Last year, I joined in the middle of the season, but this season I clicked more with my midfielders and finished my chances much better,' Barnes said.
Miami Herald
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Gulliver Prep's Nicolas Pineros is the Miami-Dade 3A-1A Boys' Soccer Player of the Year
Repeated trips to the final four require all-around efforts. Gulliver Prep relied on a standout individual performance to make it back to the state semifinals yet again this year. Nicolas Pineros had 10 goals and 22 assists to get Gulliver to the state semis for the third straight year. As a result, he is the Miami Herald's Miami-Dade County Boys' Soccer Player of the Year for Classes 3A-1A. Pineros, the Miami-Dade County Boys' Soccer Player of the Year for Classes 3A-1A, was the latest offensive engine for Florida's premier program, handing out 22 assists to rank among the state's leaders in the category. The senior was also at his best near the end of the season, with five assists in his final six games. The Raiders fell short of winning their third consecutive state championship with a loss to Delray Beach American Heritage in the Class 3A semifinals, but still finished the year among the most accomplished teams in all of South Florida. 'It's been normal for us to go up there and win with the teams we've had lately, but you don't always get what you want and the other team just wanted it more and had a little more dog in them,' Pineros said. 'Overall, the season was great. The memories and brotherhood we created was more than we could have asked for.' Pineros, who has yet to sign with a college, had some of his most clutch performances in the postseason including a season-saving goal with a minute left in the regional semifinals to avoid losing to SLAM Miami. The tally sent the game to overtime and eventually penalty kicks where the Raiders prevailed and advanced. 'I had to learn how to take control and take charge of the team because the last few years that role fell to (former Gulliver standout) Cosme (Salas),' Pineros said. 'At the beginning I had to learn how to do that and learn a lot of valuable skills.'
Miami Herald
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Doral Academy's Manuel Benen is the Miami Herald's Boys' Soccer 7A-4A Player of the Year
Dutch-born Manuel Benen grew up idolizing former Netherlands star Wesley Sneijder and dreaming of one day making his own mark in the sport of soccer. This past season in his first season with state powerhouse Doral Academy, Benen had a major impact. Benen scored 14 goals and dished out three assists to lead Doral to the state semis for the fifth consecutive season. Benen, the Miami-Dade County Boys' Soccer Player of the Year for Classes 7A-4A, saved his best for last, even though the Firebirds came up short in the Class 7A semifinals. The senior scored two goals in his final game for Doral, helping the Firebirds get to penalty kicks before falling short against Lake Nona in a bid for a third straight state championship. 'Obviously, we wanted to win it all, but we went pretty far and a lot of us didn't really know each other in the beginning,' Benen said. 'We went pretty far and accomplished a lot.' The Firebirds went to overtime or penalty kicks in each of their final three games this year and kept squeaking by, until the 7A semifinals. Although Doral won just two of its first eight games to start the season, the Firebirds went 7-2-1 in their last 10, with Benen scoring three goals in the final two games. Benen said one of his biggest improvements this season was on the mental side of the game as he struck when he had scoring opportunities with more confidence. 'Finishing in the final third for sure was an area of improvement,' said Benen, who has yet to sign with a college.
Miami Herald
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Ransom Everglades' Colombo is the Miami-Dade 3A-1A Girls' Soccer Player of the Year
Ransom Everglades made history this year with its first ever trip to the state final four and the Raiders did it with a simple offensive game plan. When Ransom Everglades needed a goal, Stella Colombo would run down the sideline, beat a defender off the dribble and set up a teammate from the wing. 'That's how we scored the majority of our goals,' Colombo said. The Raiders rode Colombo's creative abilities all the way to the Class 2A semifinals. For her role in Ransom Everglades' historic season, Colombo is the Miami Herald's Miami-Dade County Girls' Soccer Player of the Year for Classes 3A-1A. Colombo scored 13 goals and dished out 14 assists in 17 games, and was at her best down the stretch, handing out two assists in both the Region 4-2A championship and semifinals. The forward was one of the best playmakers in South Florida and helped vault the Raiders to new heights. 'We got better throughout the year and we grew as a team,' Colombo said. 'We had a point in the year where we were struggling, but we overcame those problems and we got through them.' Only a junior, Colombo also became a captain for the first time and her new role as a captain helped her even further embrace her role as a playmaker for her teammates. Her breakout season also will give Ransom Everglades a chance to reach even greater heights next year. A special season in Miami has the Raiders feeling good about the future, but also eager for something more. 'Being captain this year has really taught me leadership and making sure that it's not just an individual sport, so making sure that every player on the field feels like they're welcome and feels like they have the confidence to play,' Colombo said. 'That really helped us get to where we were because of how we played together and played as a team. 'It was pretty incredible. I think we worked hard and our hard work paid off.'
