Celebration’s Leandra Oliveira helped lead the Storm to their first girls soccer district championship and regional playoff wins in school history. (Photo/Mario Casamalhuapa)
In a season where very little separated the top two teams in the county, Celebration’s Leandra Oliveira edged Harmony’s Machaela Looper and Gabriella Guzman in the race for Osceola News-Gazette Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
All three had terrific seasons and were deserving of consideration. From her wing position, Oliveira netted 17 goals and added six assists as the Storm won their first district championship with a shootout win over rival Harmony. The following week the Storm won their first regional playoff game against Vero Beach before falling to Jupiter in the regional semifinals to finish the year at 16-5—the best season in school history.
“At the beginning of the year, Leandra came in focused with specific goals in mind and she delivered on all counts,” head coach Becca Camis said. “She was our leader from day one and had an incredible season.”
“I felt we accomplished a lot this year and it was an honor being on Celebration’s first district championship team,” Oliveira said. “But I also felt we left something on the table.”
As far as being named Player of the Year, she said she was, “Honored, but it something that could not have happened without my teammates. We had a great group of girls and Coach Camis did a great job of bringing us all together. You can never win an individual honor if you don’t have great teammates around you.”
Scott Marlega’s Harmony team was just as outstanding, positing a 16-6 mark. The Longhorns won their fifth Orange Belt Conference championship in seven years, defeating the Storm in a scintillating title game, 3-2. Although they lost to Celebration in the district championship game by shootout, they also reached the regional semifinal with a win over Windermere before falling to Lake Nona.
Looper and Guzman were the keys. A junior, Looper scored five goals and 19 assists from her defensive midfield position; while Guzman led the county with 28 goals and added 11 assists.
In all, both the Storm and the Longhorns placed five on the All-County team. Joining Oliveira from the Storm were attacking midfielder Indee Morris (12 goals, 15 assists) and defensive players Aileen Cure (center back), Zoe Herrera (defensive center back) and goalie Allyson Witt (12-5, three shutouts, two penalty kick stops).
Joining Looper and Guzman were winger Jada Bloodworth (18 goals, 9 assists), junior goalkeeper Faith Hizer (0.55 goals against average) and wing Jaydyn Frost (5 goals. 12 assists).
After four consecutive losing seasons, St. Cloud rebounded nicely last season with a 10-5 mark, that included a regular season win over Harmony and a semifinal shootout loss to Celebration in the OBC Tournament. Center back Yami Abreu (11 goals, 7 assists), defensive midfielder Emily Cannata, and explosive forwards Grace Jorge (12 goals, 4 assists) and Nyeima Sommers (12 goals, 3 assists) secure places on the All-County team.
Rounding out the 17-member All-County team were Tohopekaliga’s Natalie Ocampo (17 goals, 15 assists) and defenseman Janilee Hernandez; Osceola’s Valentina Rodriguez (18 goals, 3 assists) and Gateway’s Samantha Penuela (21 goals 7 assists).
In guiding the Storm to their first district championship and first regional playoff win, Coach Rebecca Camis edges Harmony’s Scott Marlega for Coach of the Year honors.
