Girls soccer: All-Stars take pitch once more in 2024

WOBURN — The MIAA season may have concluded, but soccer is a year-round commitment for some.

The Eastern Massachusetts Girls Soccer Association’s annual All-Star games continued Sunday at Woburn Memorial High School.

More than 90 players attended the showcase.

In the morning opener, Team Blue knocked off Team Gray, 2-1, in a defensive nail-biter, as Nicole Gangi of Woburn and Emma Darling of Weston netted the winning tallies.

Following the game, players, coaches and officials were honored by the EMGSCA for their performances this past fall. Cohasset’s Tess Barrett and Georgia Prouty of Danvers were named All-Americans. Barrett is set to play at Boston College next year, while Prouty is committed to Boston University.

“It was an amazing honor,” said Prouty. “I think it just shows what the Danvers program offered me through all my four years, and I’m just very grateful to be able to accept (this award).”

Prouty was also named the Div. 3 Player of the Year, while Barrett was given the honor for Div. 4. Madison Recupero of Hopkinton (Div. 1), Duxbury’s Megan Carney (Div. 2) and Raegan Dillon of St. John Paul II were also recognized.

Boston Dream president Greg Rowe was tabbed for the EMGSCA’s Most Outstanding Service Award.

It was a historic season for Masconomet, which captured the Div. 2 girls soccer title this past weekend. Chieftains manager Alison Lecesse was selected as the Div. 2 Coach of the Year.

“It was kind of a magical dream season,” said Lecesse. “You don’t go in in August expecting anything like this. To put it together, and to finish strong like this? Pretty fun.”

Hopkinton’s Tom Skiba was named the Div. 1 Coach of the Year, with Jimmy Hinchion of Danvers (Div. 3), Mark Vermont of Lynnfield (Div. 4) and Georgetown’s Kevin Fair (Div. 5) also being chosen for awards.

As the day rolled along, the second match got underway, with Lecesse coaching Team Gray. Led by sophomore Sydney Heavey of Medfield (two goals, assist), her group was able to pull away in the second half for a 5-2 victory over Team Blue. During the victory, Heavey and her All-Star teammates rallied from a 2-1 deficit by rattling off four unanswered goals.

“It was a really cool experience,” said Heavey. “I got to play with some people I probably would never have met, and I met some new club girls I’m going to play this season.”

With another fantastic girls soccer season officially ending, Lecesse sighed with a sense of relief.

“I mean, it was tough coaching against my own girls,” laughed Lecesse. “I don’t like coaching against my own girls, but it’s fun to get another win, and All-Star Games are just so much fun. The kids are just so talented, seeing them all play together from different towns. Some of them play club together, some don’t, but it’s easy coaching.”

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