RISING STAR
• Nottingham’s Girman earns CVC Player of the Year • Meet our CVC, Prep and All-Area girls soccer teams >>
During the midst of the Pennington School girls soccer team’s Prep A triumph in which it rallied to victory by scoring five goals in 13 amazing second-half minutes, Jaydin Avery did something she wouldn’t have been able to do four years ago.
No, not score a goal. She’s been doing that since she stepped foot on the Pennington campus. Avery controlled the ball with her back to goal while under pressure and set up a teammate for a first-time finish with a perfect lay off.
“I probably would have been frantic and gave the ball up,” Avery said of her younger self. “(Coach Dr. Bill Hawkey) always tells me to keep composure and be calm.”
Nobody kept cool this season quite like Avery, who is our Prep and Area Player of the Year.
The Saint Joseph’s University-commit scored 18 goals and dished out seven assists, but saved her best for last. The senior finished her career with a flurry, scoring five and assisting on two between the Mercer County Tournament final and Prep A final.
“Over the four years, it’s been crazy,” said Avery, who recorded 52 goals and 23 assists in her career, while mostly deployed on the right wing. “Starting my freshman year, I came in here a little frantic, didn’t know what was going on (because) I’m new to high school soccer and had basically been playing with younger kids. After playing with a lot of people who were better than me, I think that bettered my game and made me stronger as a player.”
Avery had a hat trick in the Prep A championship to bookend four years that began with a hat trick against George in her very first game.
“She’s taken a big leap forward in terms of confidence, composure and creativity,” Hawkey said. “All those things combined and that’s a great player.”
Avery also made great strides with her leadership, serving as one of the Red Raiders’ captains as they went 16-2-1 and earned the top ranking in the area. Pennington posted a 60-9-4 mark during her four years.
“Great maturity this year, great leadership out of her,” Hawkey said. “I think she set a great example for the younger kids in terms of working hard and including everybody in. I can’t say enough about the senior leadership on this team this year and it was the best I’ve seen in so long and she was a central figure in that.”
Avery is joined on the All-Prep team by four of her teammates: senior center back Gianna Lucchesi, senior left back Mary Griswold, junior forward Kelli Collins (nine goals) and sophomore midfielder Kylie Daigle (12 goals, 19 assists).
Five players who helped Princeton Day capture a fifth straight Prep B crown also made first team. Junior goalkeeper Riley Felsher (six cleansheets), senior center back Kelsey Lane, sophomore right back Sophia Miranda, sophomore midfielder Jules Romano (eight goals, three assists) and junior forward Ariana Jones (10 goals, six assists) were selected off Pat Trombetta’s 14-4-1 side.
Hun School junior midfielder Nicole Angelini (six goals, two assists) was also a First Team pick.
Pennington, though, won a record 10th MCT title and 14th Prep A trophy.
“We’re a great group of girls,” Avery said. “We’ve been playing together for what seems like forever, but it’s only been four years and I feel like they are a great group to win both state and MCT with.”