Eureka senior midfielder named MVP of the Big 4 in girls soccer

By barstoolfanatics on November 23, 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Angelina Conant has been named MVP of the Big 4 in girls soccer.

By Ray Hamill — It was another impressive season for the Eureka girls soccer team, which won a third straight Big 4 championship and a fourth straight North Coast Section title.

And one player in particular played a huge role in that success.

This week, Eureka senior midfielder Angelina Conant was named Outfield MVP of the Big 4, and it was an award that was well deserved, according to her head coach Melania Valdez.

“You can go and watch a game when Angelina is playing and you’re immediately drawn to her,” Valdez said. “She commands the field.”

There were few if any games this fall where Conant was not the most dominating player on the field.

She made her presence felt in more ways than one, and had to be continually accounted for by opposing teams.

“She has fantastic feet and she was our leader on the field and definitely a force in league,” Valdez added.

Conant also brought a great attitude to the game and was willing to do whatever it took to help her teammates succeed.

“She’s just a great girl,” Valdez said. “I feel like if I came to her with some task, she’d be like ‘yes, I’m right on it.’

“And she had a lot of pride in herself and I think she takes pride in her teammates around her too.”

According to Valdez, Conant is considering continuing her soccer career at the next level after graduating high school next year.

She certainly has the talent to play collegiate soccer.

Conant was one of nine girls to receive all-league recognition for the league champs, including five named to the all-league team.

Fellow seniors Lorena Hernandez and Paige Rodgers each also were named all-league along with Conant, after all three became the first athletes H-DNL history to win four straight NCS winners medals in the same sport.

Braelyn Frank and Olivianna Millender each also were named to the all-league team for Eureka.

The Fortuna Huskies, who finished second in the Big 4 and pushed the Loggers all the way in the NCS final, had three players named all-league.

Influential senior Raigan Brooks was included for the Huskies, along with teammates Myra Hayes and Jocelyn Marquez-Olea.

Arcata had two all-league selections — Sionna Khattab and Aleta Stubblefdield — while Sonja Vevoda-Whalig was named Big 4 MVP goalkeeper after an outstanding season between the posts.

The McKinleyville Panthers did not officially receive any all-league selections because of some miscommunication between the school and the league, according to the Panthers.

However, as with every team in the league, the Panthers had some players worthy of inclusion.

According to head coach Brady Burtchett, influential standouts Gabby Watson and Mary Ann Som each would have been included among the all-league players after impressive seasons for both.

Grace Pimentel, Emily Mather and Ahtyirahm Allen each also would have received an honorable mention for the Panthers.