Meet the lohud girls soccer elite 11 and best of the rest
The annual Journal News/lohud Elite 11 spotlights the best returning girls soccer players across Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties.
Past success and future potential are taken into account, as well as a history of winning. With numerous Division I-committed players and returning all-state and all-section standouts, there will be no shortage of individual talent this season.
There will be plenty of stars born on the pitch this season, but here is the Elite 11 entering the 2023 season:
Julia Arbelaez
School: Somers
Year: Junior
Position: Forward
What makes Julia elite? She turned heads last year with a breakout season that included all-state honors. A speedy and dangerous finisher up top, Arbelaez was one of the top scorers in the Lower Hudson Valley, racking up 28 goals and 19 assists in a competitive schedule.
Jess Beck
School: Pleasantville
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
What makes Jess elite? An all-state selection as a sophomore in 2021, the Elon commit is primed for a big season with the Panthers this fall. Beck had 13 goals and four assists as a junior and will aim to lead Pleasantville into contention in Class B with her footwork and ability.
Grace Burns
School: Albertus Magnus
Year: Senior
Position: Midfield
What makes Grace elite? She can line up virtually anywhere on the pitch and dominate in her role. Burns finished with 19 goals and eight assists in the Falcons' state title run, but it was her versatility, instincts, and her unrelenting style of play that made her a integral part of the lineup. The all-state standout is committed to UConn.
Gabby Chan
School: Albertus Magnus
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
What makes Gabby elite? Chan is already one of the most decorated players in Rockland and program history, earning Journal News/lohud Rockland Player of the Year and All-American honors two seasons in a row. The Columbia commit finished with 21 goals and 14 assists last year and will look to finish out her career with her best campaign yet.
Niki DeNardo
School: Irvington
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
What makes Niki elite? She was one of the key components in the Bulldogs' balanced lineup and an integral part in their historic state championship run last season. DeNardo was the Bulldogs' leading scorer and had 11 goals and eight assists in her Class B first-team all-state junior season.
Amelia Layden
School: Pearl River
Year: Junior
Position: Defense
What makes Amelia elite? A scrappy defender with great instincts and the ability lockdown her assignments one-on-one, Layden is the latest in the line of talented Pirates defenders. Her reputation is well known in Rockland, as she enters her third season as a varsity starter and she'll be taking more of a leadership role this fall as well.
Julia Lombardo
School: Albertus Magnus
Year: Junior
Position: Defense
What makes Julia elite? Lombardo stepped in as a starter last season and thrived on the Falcons' back line. An all-state defender, Lombardo was one of the catalysts behind Albertus Magnus' unbeaten run through the section, where the Falcons never gave up a single goal. All in all, she helped the Falcons amass 20 clean sheets out of 23 games, as they only gave up two goals to New York teams in their title run last year.
Annie Maguire
School: Somers
Year: Senior
Position: Midfield
What makes Annie elite? After winning a national title with her club team this summer, Maguire will try to parlay that success in Somers. She's been a key part in the Tuskers' lineup for the last few seasons and she stands out with her field vision, creativity and technical ability. The Fordham commit came back from an early-season injury as a junior and had four goals and seven assists as a defensive midfielder last season. She'll look to hit the ground running as a senior and put together her best season for last.
Ashley McMahon
School: Albertus Magnus
Year: Senior
Position: Midfield
What makes Ashley elite? Last year, she developed a penchant for making big plays in marquee matchups. She had the go-ahead goal in the Falcons' 3-1 state finals win over reigning champ New Hartford, and finished with eight goals and eight assists. An all-section standout, McMahon also received her second Puerto Rican national team selection and committed to James Madison.
Caroline Tomas
School: North Rockland
Year: Senior
Position: Defense
What makes Caroline elite? She's gotten better with each season and has thrived in any role that the Red Raiders have put her in over the years. An all-section selection and Albany commit, Tomas is an athletic and stalwart defender.
Maddy Walsh
School: Rye
Year: Senior
Position: Midfield
What makes Maddy elite? She's a threat for opposing defenses when she has the ball, and she flies everywhere on the field when she doesn't have it. The Air Force commit is a relentless and hard-working player on the field, and a key member of the Garnets' lineup. Last year, she was named all-section for the third time, all-state, and league player of the year in her 15 goal, five-assist campaign.
Best of the rest
Meredith Feiner, Sr., F, Horace Greeley; Sofia Finnerty, Sr., MF, Ardsley; Aubrey Haesche, Jr., GK, Albertus Magnus; Isabel Harvey, Sr., D/MF, Rye; Kaitlyn Howell, Sr., GK, Pelham; Liv Johnsen, Sr., F, Hen Hud; Sora Marable, Sr., F, Briarcliff; Megan McGovern, Sr., D, North Rockland; Jordan McMorrow, Sr., D, Somers; Maggie Murphy, Sr., MF, Albertus Magnus; Keira Nyarady, Sr., D, Irvington; Anna Palitti, Jr., D, Tappan Zee; Cassie Pelosi, Sr., MF/F, North Salem; Tiana Righetti, Jr., MF, Somers; Alex Rivera, Sr., F, New Rochelle; Elahe Sherrell, Sr., MF, Scarsdale; Michelle Zuniga, Jr., D, Ossining
Follow Eugene Rapay on Twitter at @erapay5 and on Instagram at @byeugenerapay.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: lohud Elite 11 soccer: Meet the 2023 best returning players
