By Rob Potter
SULLIVAN COUNTY — Even though the first day of spring is a week away, memories of the 2008 scholastic soccer season are still clear in the minds of local players and coaches.
And one can see elsewhere in this issue of the Democrat that local American Youth Soccer Association (AYSO) teams will soon be holding registration events for the fall 2009 season.
The Democrat recently contacted some of the coaches at Sullivan County high schools which had varsity girls’ soccer teams last autumn to ask for their assistance in recognizing the most outstanding players of the 2008 season.
And the 2008 Sullivan County Democrat Girls’ Soccer All-Stars are…
Joanna Blanchard,
Fallsburg, Senior, Forward
Blanchard scored four goals for the Lady Comets this past fall, which tied Zaira Pabon for the team lead.
Blanchard scored Fallsburg’s only goal, which was unassisted, in a non-league loss to the Sullivan West Lady Bulldogs in September.

Colleen Chudik,
Sullivan West, Senior, Defender
Chudik was named the Lady Bulldogs’ Most Valuable Player at the Sullivan West Fall Sports Awards Presentation back in November.

Paige Clancy, Roscoe,
Sophomore, Striker
“Paige led the team in goals and she was recognized and keyed in on by other teams,” Roscoe Coach Brian Smith said.
Clancy scored two of the Lady Blue Devils’ goals in a 4-0 victory over The Family School Lady Falcons in an Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division VI match in October.
In September, Clancy netted both of her team’s goals in a tough 3-2 OCIAA Division VI loss to the Chapel Field Lady Lions.

Marissa Diescher,
Livingston Manor, Sophomore, Forward
Diescher scored 27 goals and registered eight assists last autumn.
She netted five goals to lead the Lady Wildcats to a 7-0 win over Fallsburg in October.
Also in October, Diescher scored the tying goal and assisted on the winning goal in Manor’s 3-2 overtime victory against the Eldred Lady Yellowjackets in a Section IX Class D semifinal match.

Amanda Martin,
Tri-Valley, Junior, Sweeper
Martin, who earned her third varsity letter, was one of the Lady Bears’ tri-captains for the 2008 season. Martin, who had five goals and two assists last autumn, was named the MVP of the Tri-Valley Invitational Tournament in September, was selected as the team’s co-MVP for the season and was a Section 9 Coaches Select team member.
T-V Coach Mary Feusner noted that Martin was “responsible in large part for the seven shutouts we had.
“Amanda was a sweeper extraordinare and a team tri-captain who motivated her teammates at practices and games,” Feusner said. “She led by example each day.”

Jakki Pugh, Tri-Valley,
Sophomore, Striker
Despite being forced to miss two matches last fall due to a head injury she sustained in a match versus Chapel Field, Pugh scored 17 goals and assisted on eight goals scored by her teammates. T-V Coach Mary Feusner noted that Pugh, who earned her third varsity letter last season, was a “scoring machine with a nose for the goal and this was the second year in a row she was the leading scorer on the team.”

Rebecca Scherer,
Liberty, Senior, Forward
Scherer led the Lady Indians with 20 goals last season.
In October, she had a goal in Liberty’s 3-2 overtime non-league victory against the T-V Lady Bears.
Scherer scored a hat trick of three goals in the Lady Indians’ 5-0 non-league win against Fallsburg in September.

Karyn Sheeley,
Tri-Valley, Junior, Midfielder/Defender
Sheeley, one of the Lady Bears’ tri-captains, earned her third varsity letter while playing all positions except goalkeeper. She received the Miss Defense award in the T-V Invitational Tournament, was named co-MVP on the T-V team and was a Section 9 Coaches Select team member.
Sheeley scored 11 goals and assisted on five others.
T-V Coach Mary Feusner said that Sheeley is “a very versatile player who makes players on her team more confident.
“Karyn’s determination and fine foot skills served her well,” Feusner added.

Jessica Stant,
Monticello, Sophomore, Goalkeeper
Stant averaged 16 saves a game for the Lady Panthers last season.
In Monticello’s 2-1 non-league win over Valley Central last September, Stant made 25 saves. In an October non-league match against the James I. O’Neill Lady Raiders, she had 23 saves.
Stant also recorded 23 saves in the Lady Panthers’ non-league loss to John S. Burke Catholic High School in September.

Angela Trotti,
Livingston Manor, Junior, Goalkeeper
Trotti averaged 12 saves per game last autumn.
She made five saves for the Lady Wildcats in their 3-2 overtime victory against the Eldred Lady Yellowjackets in a Section IX Class D semifinal match.
In an October non-league match versus the Tri-Valley Lady Bears, Trotti registered 20 saves.

Christina Watts,
Eldred, Junior, Forward
Watts scored a goal in the Lady Yellowjackets 3-2 win against Chester in September’s Tri-Valley Invitational Tournament. She also had an assist in Eldred’s 4-2 loss to Ellenville in the same tourney.