NORTHEAST
Anna Von Kennel, Darien (Conn.)
Darien needed a spark. The Blue Wave trailed rival New Canaan (Conn.) by four goals late in the third quarter, and Ceci Patterson had allowed just one goal over the first 32 minutes of the CIAC Class LL championship game. Enter Anna Von Kennel.
The Florida-bound junior won five huge draw controls and scored the winning goal off an assist from Cameron Pokorny with 4:18 left in regulation to help the Blue Wave to a come-from-behind 6-5 win as Darien captured its 21st state title.
In the semifinals, Von Kennel had two goals, four assists, and eight draw controls in a 17-5 victory over Ridgefield (Conn.).
“I kind of always knew that we were going to pick it up, it was just a matter of when,” Von Kennel told CTInsider.com. “We just started racking up goals (once we had) the momentum, there was no stopping us.”
Also notable: Charlotte Diviney, Simsbury (Conn.); Aubrie Eisfeld, Bayport-Blue Point (N.Y.); Avery Fordham, Penfield (N.Y.); Emma Mueller, Lauralton Hall (Conn.); Maia Pronti, Victor (N.Y.); Ryan Reynolds, Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.)
— Dylan Butler
MID-ATLANTIC
Parker Febo, Summit (N.J.)
The senior midfielder scored the biggest goal of her career only a few days after what must now be the second-biggest goal of her career. In the North Jersey Group 3 final, Febo helped Summit rally to beat top-seeded Chatham (N.J.) with a goal with 43 seconds left in the first overtime. It was her third goal of the game and helped Summit avenge a regular-season loss to Chatham. Then, in the Group 3 state championship, Febo had a free-position with five seconds left and fired the shot in with one second showing in regulation for a 6-5 win over perennially strong Moorestown (N.J.). The goal was the fourth of the game for Febo, who also had three draw controls. Febo finished the season with 62 goals. She’d had 23 in her first three high school seasons combined. She’ll continue her career at George Washington.
Also notable: Sydney Ellsworth, Pingry (N.J.); Delaney Falk, Southern (N.J.); Allie Hunter, Springfield-Delco (Pa.); Maddie Kane, Springfield-Delco (Pa.); Chloe Kelly, Rumson-Fair Haven (N.J.); Alice Manzo, Westfield (N.J.); Sophia Tray, Villa Maria Academy (Pa.); Marleigh White, Allentown (N.J.)
— Justin Feil
MIDWEST
Abby Grove, Prior Lake (Minn.)
Abby Grove’s six-goal performance in the state semifinals was impressive. That it came against 2024 state champion Lakeville South (Minn.), which topped Prior Lake in last year’s state title game, made her performance all the more momentous. The Rutgers commit wasn’t done, accounting for five of the Lakers’ 13 goals against Stillwater (Minn.) in the state championship game.K
Also notable: Maddi Beaulieu, Prior Lake (Minn.); Mya Kreblin, Kettle Moraine (Wisc.); Reagan Kubler, Hudson (Wisc.); Ella Mautz, Kettle Moraine (Wisc.); Gretchen Whitten, Hudson (Wisc.)
— Jonah Rosenblum
