WMass Girls Soccer: All-New England, All-State selections announced

Twenty-six Western Massachusetts girls’ soccer players earned All-State recognition this season, and five local athletes earned All-New England recognition.

The Western Mass. Soccer Coaches Association will present the awards at the All-State Banquet, scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 23, at The Carriage House in Storrowton Tavern, with a time to be announced.

The annual boys and girls soccer Senior All-Star Games, meanwhile, are respectively scheduled for Monday, Nov. 24, and Tuesday, Nov. 25, with a time and location to be announced.

All-New England

The Pope Francis girls’ soccer team secured multiple recipients in Mila Dillard and Maeve Turmel. And for sound reasoning, as Dillard and Turmel are both committed to play Division I for the University of Kentucky and Stonehill College upon graduation.

Coming into Monday night, it should be no surprise that Turmel (13) and Dillard (11) have recorded 24 of the Cardinals’ 45 goals thus far. Though each player is known for their offensive capability, their speed and knowledge of the game have also allowed them to make a statement on defense.

And they will look for those capabilities on Thursday, as Pope Francis is scheduled to welcome Wilmington in the D-III state quarterfinals on Thursday at 5 p.m.

The Cardinals weren’t the only team with multiple selections, though, as Gracie DiStefano and Rhaya Manning were also chosen for Longmeadow. This marked the second consecutive year that Dillard and Manning shared the honor.

A different streak was broken, though, as the duo effort of DiStefano and Manning helped ensure the Lancers denied the Cardinals an opportunity to raise their fourth consecutive regional crown in a rematch of last year’s WMass Class A championship.

Since Longmeadow claimed its second regional championship in three years, the Lancers have defeated Silver Lake and North Quincy to keep their eight-game unbeaten streak alive. Longmeadow is now scheduled to welcome Marblehead in the D-II state quarterfinals on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

And last but not least is Hannah Murphy of Monson.

This was an easy decision, as Murphy became the state’s leading goal scorer for girls’ soccer last month. As of Monday night, Murphy has recorded 214 goals and 53 assists for 267 combined points through five seasons.

And through 21 games this fall, Murphy leads the Mustangs with 35 of their 57 combined goals thus far. And that statistic is essential because Monson is scheduled to welcome Saint John Paul II to Flynt Park on Thursday for the D-V state quarterfinals at 2 p.m.

All-State

Class A

Kylie Warner, Agawam senior

Emma Sousa, East Longmeadow senior

Gracie DiStefano, Longmeadow senior

Rhaya Manning, Longmeadow senior

Kilee Trajkovski, Longmeadow junior

Zoriah Wray, Minnechaug senior

Mila Dillard, Pope Francis junior

Maeve Turmel, Pope Francis senior

Gemma Conca, West Springfield senior

Class B

Alexa Karabetsos, Belchertown senior

Morghan Litz, Belchertown junior

Libby Puttick, Hampshire senior

Catarina Mazza, Ludlow senior

Olivia Athas, South Hadley sophomore

Allison Fleury, South Hadley senior

Hannah Haesaert, South Hadley sophomore

Lorelai Whalley, Southwick senior

Class C

Samone Young, Easthampton senior

Elderina Cecunjanin, Greenfield senior

Hannah Murphy, Monson senior

Meiah Wise, SICS senior

Monique Fredette, Smith Voc. Senior

Class D

Meredith Bartosz, Granby junior

Kalli White, Granby junior

Ephie Vissas, Hopkins Academy junior

Addyson Petrashewicz, Palmer junior