PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jordan Rowan Perry, senior Truth be told — and with due respect to her skilled contemporaries — there was only one direction 2024 News-Herald girls soccer player of the year could point. That was toward Rowan, whose senior season is not hyperbole to call one of the most remarkable campaigns ever seen in News-Herald coverage area high school soccer. Despite constant attention up to and including marking — and with her side’s opponents and her own side knowing full well she was THE finisher — the Division IV All-Ohioan scored 69 goals as the Pirates went 12-5-3 and advanced to a long-sought district final. Rowan accounted for 86.25% of Perry’s goals this fall, and a 69-goal season is the third-most prolific all-time by a girls player in Ohio per OHSAA state records. Her pace, generational on-ball skill, electricity with both feet, eye for service and tireless “follow me” mentality might not be seen for quite a while around these parts. COACH OF THE YEAR Joe Ciuni, Chagrin Falls After an injury-riddled 5-11-1 run a year ago, it would be reasonable to surmise the climb might be uphill for a lot of sides. Not for a Ciuni-coached Chagrin side. A brilliant tactician and leader, he guided the Tigers to a 13-6-4 season against a grueling schedule, with a side that has spine in the back, plays an aesthetically pleasing brand of attacking futbol and maximizes set pieces as well as anyone locally. That turnaround would have been plenty, but how Ciuni navigated Chagrin through the heartbreak of losing longtime standout striker Bella Radomsky to a torn ACL to get gritty 1-0 regional-round wins over West Branch and Poland Seminary to net the Tigers’ eighth state final four berth as a program was inspiring. FIRST TEAM (in alphabetical order; CLE: all-Cleveland) F Adison Cook, Jr., West Geauga 18 goals, 10 assists; D3 All-Ohio, 1st D3 CLE MF Mackenzie Culler, Sr., Mentor 5 goals, 1 assist; 1st D1 CLE D Maggie Goss, Sr., Chagrin Falls 2 goals; 1st D4 CLE F Taryn Kozak, Jr., Beaumont 14 goals, 8 assists; D3 All-Ohio, 1st D3 CLE F Kelly McCandless, Jr., Berkshire 36 goals, 10 assists; D5 All-Ohio, D5 CLE POY F Reese Meister, Sr., Madison 24 goals, 4 assists; D3 All-Ohio, 1st D3 CLE MF Brix Niethammer, Sr., Chagrin Falls 12 goals, 5 assists; 1st D4 CLE F Bella Radomsky, Sr., Chagrin Falls 16 goals, 10 assists; D4 All-Ohio, 1st D4 CLE GK Cade Virgilio, Sr., Wickliffe 71 saves; D4 All-Ohio, 1st D4 CLE F Olivia Williams, Sr., Mayfield 9 goals, 2 assists; 1st D2 CLE, WRC POY SECOND TEAM (in alphabetical order; goals-assists; CLE: all-Cleveland) GK Haidyn Bunker, Jr., Chardon: 6 shutouts; 1st D3 CLE F Lilah Cornell, Sr., Kenston: 1st D3 CLE D Zoey Deligianis, Sr., Madison: 2-5; 1st D3 CLE F Ava Gabriel, Sr., Wickliffe: 16-4; 1st D4 CLE MF Alaina Longmeier, Jr., Beaumont: 8-8; 1st D3 CLE MF Juliana Odorcic, So., Mentor: 11-6; 1st D1 CLE D Olivia Pickens, Fr., Kirtland: 8-7; 1st D5 CLE MF Dina Polanco, Sr., Andrews Osborne: 20-12 F Tiana Torrence, Jr., Wickliffe: 14-6; 1st D4 CLE MF Sylvia Vosicky, Sr., Kirtland: 6-2; D5 All-Ohio THIRD TEAM (in alphabetical order; goals-assists; CLE: all-Cleveland) D Amelia Alt, Sr., NDCL: 1st D3 CLE D Kylie DeForde, Jr., Mayfield: 9 shutouts; 1st D2 CLE MF Bria Devlin, Sr., Kenston: 1st D3 CLE D Lexi Dobbert, Jr., NDCL: 1st D3 CLE D Annie Goff, Jr., Gilmour: 1st D3 CLE MF Evelyn Lally, Sr., Hawken: 6-4; 1st D3 CLE GK Taylor MacAdam, Sr., Madison: 11 shutouts; HM D3 CLE GV Liv Masink, Sr., Berkshire: 151 saves; 1st D5 CLE MF Andora Porcello, So., Perry: 4-24; 1st D4 CLE MF Lillia Van Kirk, Sr., Madison: 5-9; 1st D3 CLE With 2024 NH all-stars set to be announced tomorrow, here's my annual explanation of the selection processYeah I know, this is probably TLDR … but given false perceptions on what goes into the process, this is necessary every year pic.twitter.com/xrMq3NVQbL — Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) November 15, 2024 HONOR ROLL Andrews Osborne: Lucila Yela, Beachwood: Lilah Droe, Beaumont: Julia Beard, Berkshire: Clair Corbett, Brush: Brianna Reed, Chagrin Falls: Mia Buno, Chardon: Micah Tager, Cornerstone Christian: Natalie Hershey, Gilmour: Olivia Minello, Harvey: Lilian Vazquez Estrada, Hawken: Gaby Turner, Kenston: Reese Cochran, Kirtland: Payton Adkins, Lake Catholic: Bella Leffel, Madison: Avery Weaver, Mayfield: Addison Carroll, Mentor: Abigail Facemyer, NDCL: Ella Ko, North: Michaela Herbert, Perry: Katy Rockwell, Riverside: Sofiah Barkoot, South: Sydney Isabella, VASJ: Leah Davis, West Geauga: Michaela Platt, Wickliffe: Leah Skufca