Fort Worth-area Soccer: Boys, Girls awards. See the top players in the area
The Star-Telegram’s Fort Worth-area high school soccer individual awards are here.
See which top players earned individual honors. The full Star-Telegram High School Soccer All-Area Super Teams will be released on Sunday, May 4.
Girls Soccer Awards
Player of the Year: Emersen Andries, sophomore forward, Colleyville Heritage
Emerson Andries, a First Team All-State selection and a team captain, earned District 6-5A Midfielder of the Year honors. She was a key force in leading Colleyville Heritage to the Class 5A Division II state championship game, where she earned All-Tournament honors. She finished with five goals and six assists while playing as a defensive midfielder, but her stats don’t tell the whole story, according to Colleyville Heritage coach Monte Pace, who called her “one of the most technical and dynamic midfield players” in the Dallas-Fort Worth-area.
Defensive Player of the Year: Emery Thompson, senior left back, Aledo
Thompson, a four-year starter for Aledo at left back and a team captain, scored three goals and made four assists. According to coach Bryan Johnson, she started many of the Bearcats’ attacks and was the “assist of the assist.” Thompson earned a spot on the Class 5A Honorable Mention All-State Team. Johnson said she is a great leader and valedictorian of her class.
Offensive Player of the Year: Ashlyn Bringedahl, Sophomore Forward, Colleyville Heritage
Bringedahl, a sophomore forward, was Colleyville Heritage’s primary goal scorer in a thrilling run to the state championship. She was named the District 6-5A Co-Offensive Player of the Year and also earned First Team All-State honors. She tallied 24 goals and 6 assists.
Goalkeeper of the Year: Emma Young, Senior, Mansfield Timberview
Emma Young, a team captain, kept Mansfield Timberview in games with elite performances. She tallied 177 saves and allowed 15 goals while posting 11 shutouts. She also had five goals and two assists. Young, a Southwest Oklahoma State commit, also plays football for the Wolves as a kicker. She earned District 8-5A Goalie of the Year and First Team All-Region honors. Coach Joe Horn said she punts to the opposite 40 at a minimum, is great with free kicks and was “the reason (Timberview) stole wins.”
Newcomer of the Year: Peyton Hayes, Junior midfielder, Southlake Carroll
Peyton Hayes was a versatile player for Southlake Carroll with 16 goals and 11 assists. She earned District 4-6A Newcomer of the Year honors as a valuable member of a talented Dragon team that finished the season with a 22-2-2 record and the District 4-6A championship.
Coach of the Year: Monte Pace, Colleyville Heritage
For the second consecutive year, Colleyville Heritage head coach Monte Pace is the Star-Telegram Coach of the Year. The Panthers’ success is undeniable; Colleyville Heritage (17-3-1) reached the state final in consecutive years. Pace’s squad was extremely talented but also very young, with a flurry of sophomores in key roles.
Honorable Mention: Steve McBride, Grapevine
Boys’ Soccer Awards
Player of the Year: Alejandro Ibarra, Senior forward, Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis
When it comes to soccer in the Fort Worth-area, Diamond Hill-Jarvis’ Alejandro Ibarra stands out as a dynamic player. He finished with 37 goals and 16 assists, leading Diamond Hill-Jarvis to an undefeated district championship and a regional final playoff appearance.
Ibarra, as a team captain, earned consecutive district MVP honors and was named to the to the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches’ Class 4A All-State First Team. He is committed to Hill College in Hillsboro.
Defensive Player of the Year: Christian Serrato, Senior, Castleberry
Serrato, a First Team All-State selection in Class 4A, scored 10 goals and made 4 assists. He was named the District 8-4A Co-Defensive Player of the Year and was a key member of a Castleberry team that advanced to the state final. In that game, Serrato made a free kick, which powered him to the Class 4A State Tournament Team.
Offensive Player of the Year: Fife Adeyemo, senior forward, Southlake Carroll
Fife Adeyemo was a big-time player within a talented Southlake Carroll team, leading the Dragons to the regional finals. He scored 14 goals, three of which were in the playoffs, and made 7 assists. Adeyemo was named the District 4-6A Offensive Player of the Year and also earned a spot on the Class 6A All-State First Team.
Goalkeeper of the Year: Caleb Castaneda, Junior, Castleberry
Caleb Castaneda was a major player in Castleberry’s run to the Class 4A Division I state championship. He operated behind a talented roster and thrived, making 71 saves and posting a goals-against average rating of 0.49.
Castaneda tallied 16 clean sheets en route to First Team All-District and First Team All-State honors.
Newcomer of the Year: Tyler Thompson, Sophomore forward, Grapevine
Tyler Thompson thrived with the Grapevine Mustangs as an underclassman, recording 13 goals and 5 assists. He earned District 6-5A Newcomer of the Year honors, helping lead the Mustangs to a second-place finish in District 6-5A. Grapevine fell to Saginaw, an eventual state semifinalist, in the bi-district round.
Coach of the Year: Paul Smith, Castleberry
Castleberry made a run to the Class 4A Division I state championship after winning the District 8-4A title. Although the Lions fell short of their ultimate goal, coach Paul Smith led them to a position where they were one game away from history; no boys or girls soccer team from the city of Fort Worth has ever won a UIL state championship, and a boys’ team from Tarrant County hasn’t won since the 2011 season.
Honorable Mention: Colin Yocom, Saginaw
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