When it came to girls’ soccer in the 2021-22 season, two players stood above the rest — Harmony’s Morgan Sullivan and Gateway’s Nicole Ramirez-Parra for Player are the Osceola News-Gazette Girls Soccer Co-Players of the Year for the 2021-22 season.
Sullivan, the Longhorns’ natural center fullback, was switched to forward when teammate Reinna Scott was lost for the season to injury. She responded by leading the Longhorns with 17 goals and added six assists. Her performances were key in leading Harmony to a 9-6-1 record and another Orange Belt Conference championship with a 7-0 record.
“Morgan may be the most versatile player I have ever coached,” HHS Coach Scott Marlega said. “She can truly play any position on the field, including goalkeeper. For me, she is a true fullback, but has played center back for the Longhorns the last couple of seasons and has filled in where needed. Morgan’s size, speed, and athleticism make her a handful for defenders, but she is also a very technical soccer player. She is good on the ball with both feet, on the dribble or in the pass. She is technical in the final third, and is able to score in a variety of ways. In short, Morgan is the complete package.”
Ramirez-Parra has been one of the most explosive offensive players in the county for the last two seasons. In her sophomore campaign, she racked up 20 goals in 15 games and she followed that up with another outstanding season with 18 goals and nine assists in leading the Panthers to another winning record (8-3-2) and a 5-1-2 record in OBC play.
“Nicole is certainly deserving of Player of the Year honors. She works diligently to improve herself every day and by doing so has earned the respect of her peers,” Panthers coach Jeremiah Swartz said. “Additionally, when she isn’t scoring, she sets up dynamic attacks, contributing over 20 assists during her time on our soccer team. Our team would not be the same without her.”
The OBC champion Longhorns led all county teams with five total selections to the ONG’s All-County team. Joining Sullivan is Brynn Magner, Rachael Moynihan, Rebekah Wiles and Alycia Hizer. A center/midfielder, Magner led the Longhorns with 16 assists. A Harmony catalyst from the midfield, Wiles had 12 goals and 11 assists. Moynihan was a defenseman who played a key role in helping Harmony record seven defensive shutouts on the season. A relentless defender who played most of the season out of position, Hizer was another reason Harmony recorded seven clean sheets in 2020-21.
Joining Ramirez-Parra on the All-ONG team is midfielder Nicole Vega-Plata, who was a key defender who also contributed six assists on offense.
Celebration overcame a 0-3 start to finish with both a winning records overall (9-8-1) and in OBC play (4-2-1). The Storm place three on the All-ONG team including goal-scoring machine Erin Ozyurek, who contributed 20 goals and five assists (45 points) this season and now has 53 goals in 49 career games. The junior is joined by teammates Lyan Casamalhuapa (7 goals, 10 assists) and Bianca Pedro (5-8-18).
Although they finished with a 6-10-1 mark, Tohopekaliga had three players earn All-ONG honors, led by senior striker Makenzie Bayliss – who led the Tigers with in both goals (17) and points (37). Midfielder Barnilys Santinia-Torres (4-7-15) joins Bayliss, as does freshman goalkeeper Madison Haney. Under a lot of pressure all season, Haney impressive rival coaches with 128 saves this season and two shutouts.
St. Cloud also placed three on the News-Gazette’s all-county team including Delia Macdonald, Alexis Santiago and Karen Prada. Although named to the second team All-OBC team, three separate opposing coaches privately expressed Prada needed to be on the Osceola News-Gazette’s first team.
Rounding out the All-ONG team for the 2020-21 season is Poinciana’s Karina Rodriquez and Raegan Turner.
