Meet the 2023-24 Volusia-Flagler All-Area high school girls soccer team

Seabreeze carried the flag for Volusia and Flagler counties in this year's Florida High School Athletic Association girls soccer playoffs, the lone local team to qualify — doing so automatically as District 5-5A winner.

The Sandcrabs, crowned Five Star Conference champion for the third straight season, snatched five of the 12 available spots for Player of the Year consideration.

New Smyrna Beach and Flagler Palm Coast produced one of the year's signature showdowns, a conference tournament semifinal decided on penalty kicks. Both teams posted winning records, falling short in regions loaded with quality programs, and secured multiple nominations on the All-Area list.

Elsewhere locally, Father Lopez celebrated its first winning season since 2015-16 and came within one win of its first district title in 19 years. Matanzas had a 10-win turnaround, scoring 50 more goals than it did the season before.

The Volusia-Flagler High School Sports Awards is proud to announce the player of the year nominees for girls soccer. The winners will be announced during the live show on Monday, June 3, at the Ocean Center Arena.

The show is presented with the support of Halifax Health.

During the live show, "athletes of the year" in 30 state-sanctioned sports will be honored. In addition, top teams, coaches and overall athletes will be honored as will a Courage Award winner.

Nominated athletes who RSVP will receive a complimentary ticket to the event here, thanks to sponsors: RSVP here for the 2024 Volusia-Flagler High School Sports Awards

For more information about the Volusia-Flagler High Schools Sports Awards show and to opt into email updates, visit its website and you can follow it on Facebook. The show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.

This year, one school from the area will win a $1,000 donation to its school’s athletic department through our School Spirit Contest.  Vote here until April 1: Show Your School Spirit (gannettcontests.com)

Nominees

Natalie Neal, GK, Flagler Palm Coast: The sophomore played every minute of FPC's 24 matches, sporting an overall goals-against average of 1.54 with 10 clean sheets and 175 saves. Neal stopped a pair of penalties to help the Bulldogs advance to the Five Star final in a shootout win over New Smyrna Beach.

Taylor Esposito, D, New Smyrna Beach: Committed to Barton College in North Carolina, the senior anchored a unit that allowed just 15 goals all year. Esposito spent four years on varsity for the Barracudas, the last two as a captain.

Ariana Johnson, D, Flagler Palm Coast: A three-year starter, the senior captain scored her first goal for the Bulldogs in a rivalry win over Matanzas and played a key role for a defense that conceded 37 goals in 24 matches.

Kayla Lancing, D, Seabreeze: The senior called the shots in the Sandcrabs' back three, credited with keeping the team organized with her intelligence and vocal leadership. Lancing logged the most minutes (1,451) of any of the Sandcrabs' outfield players.

Skya Horth, M, New Smyrna Beach: One of the area's most versatile players, the junior North Florida commit led the 'Cudas with 10 goals. Horth, typically a central defender for her club team, was deployed at the base of midfield but also played at forward in situations where New Smyrna Beach trailed by a goal.

Morgan Long, M, Seabreeze: The senior prevented opposition from entering the Sandcrab box, and delivered a fair bit of magic from set pieces. Long scored two of her six goals in a regional semifinal triumph at Auburndale, both from direct free kicks.

Savannah O'Grady, M, Flagler Palm Coast: An ACL tear ended the senior's season in early December, but O'Grady had the area lead in goal scoring (11) at the time despite playing in a holding midfield role. She will continue her playing career at Eastern Florida, a junior college in Melbourne.

Kylie Watson, M, Seabreeze: The senior covered hard yards, won the ball back and drove the Sandcrabs forward from midfield, generating nine goals and six assists. Watson iced the Five Star final and netted twice in a playoff win over Wesley Chapel.

Olivia Chase, F, Seabreeze: The sophomore found her footing when the calendar flipped to January, scoring 11 of her team-high 17 goals after the winter break. Chase recorded hat tricks against Orangewood Christian, Eustis and Matanzas this year.

Annabel Thistle, F, Seabreeze: The junior winger blazed past local defenders on her way to an 11-goal campaign. Thistle produced against stiffer competition as well, bagging a brace against Class 6A champion Ponte Vedra.

Chloe Waldo, F, Spruce Creek: The sophomore filled the Hawks' scoring void with 11 goals and four assists in 18 matches, hurting opponents out wide and through the middle.

Ivy Chen, M/F, Flagler Palm Coast: A standout member of the Bulldogs' loaded freshman crop, Chen registered 10 goals and 12 assists as an attacking midfielder. She scored the go-ahead goal in a District 2-7A semifinal win over Seminole.

Other Athletes of Note

Molly Andriola, GK, New Smyrna Beach: The freshman started all 14 games between the sticks, sporting a 1.08 GAA with six clean sheets.

Charlie Deininger, D, Seabreeze: The senior provided extra pace and width on the flanks for the Sandcrabs, scoring once with two assists and tracking back to prevent easy counterattacks.

Kate Montgomery, D, Spruce Creek: The junior steadied a back line that kept clean sheets in four of the Hawks' seven wins, and contributed three goals of her own.

Eva Sites, D, Flagler Palm Coast: The sophomore partnered Johnson in the heart of the Bulldogs' defense, similarly starting all 24 games for one of the area's top back lines.

Graciela Guzman, M, New Smyrna Beach: A rock in the center of the park for four years, the senior shielded the Barracudas' defenders while recording three goals and three assists.

Alaina Harden, M, New Smyrna Beach: The freshman showed plenty of flair from central midfield with six goals and two assists, and is growing into one of the team's most important players going forward.

Hannah Howell, M, Seabreeze: The senior sprayed passes around for the Sandcrabs and kept them ticking over, notching four assists with one goal in central midfield.

Mackenzie Roy, M, Spruce Creek: The junior, who is also one of Florida's elite distance runners, worked tirelessly in midfield and chipped in six goals with two assists.

Naomi Cordero, F, Matanzas: The junior pounced on the chances created by a rejuvenated, youthful Pirates team, scoring 19 times with four-goal games against Deltona and Taylor.

Arianna Roy, F, Spruce Creek: The junior, another of the state's best in cross country and on the track, had nine goals and three assists in 13 matches — including a hat trick versus Mainland, and a strike apiece against FPC and Oviedo.

Kaitlyn Steiner, F, Flagler Palm Coast: The senior totaled seven goals and seven assists along the front line, producing multi-goal outings against local rivals Spruce Creek and Matanzas.

Hailey Sammons, D/M, Flagler Palm Coast: The freshman bombed forward both as a fullback and midfielder, resulting in four goals and one assist in her varsity debut.

Top Coach

Eli Freidus, Seabreeze: The Sandcrabs survived a daunting schedule and were all the more dangerous in the second half of the season for it. Seabreeze went 12-7-1, defended conference and district titles and hosted a regional final for the second straight season.

Honorable Mention

DeLand: Chloe Caven, Katelynn Hatfield, Yasmin Rios

Deltona: Amber East

Father Lopez: Bianca Campos, Sophia Flannigan, Richae Gibson, Brianna Lucas, Kylie Moylan

Flagler Palm Coast: Erin Hughes, Lauralee McLeod, Heidi Michaels, Katherine Ouellette, Sunny Wolff

Mainland: Lauren Abrahams, Kaitlin Barba

Matanzas: Taylor Basiger, Siena Gutierrez, Kaylin Henthorn, Isabella Hopkins, Eva Servello, Emma Skinner

New Smyrna Beach: Celeste Coney, Miranda Rohrbach

Pine Ridge: Mary Davids, Serenity Gorham, Kaylie Pilloud

Seabreeze: Anna Buckmaster, Chloe Frank, Kayla Frederick, Carly McNerney

Spruce Creek: Payton Drexler, Kamryn Learn, Tia Mercedes, Jillian Truax

Taylor: Litzy Cabrera, Ava Castro, April Mendoza

University: Abbey Atkinson, Rosie Tagg, Paige Wolley

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: High school girls soccer: The 2023-24 Volusia-Flagler All-Area team