Newsday's All-Long Island girls soccer team 2024

Newsday Player of the Year: Maddie Costello, Ward Melville, M, Sr.

Maddie Costello knew her quad wasn’t 100% this season, but it wasn’t until after leading Ward Melville to its third straight state title that she realized just how bad it was.

The Ward Melville senior and four-year varsity player felt tightness in her leg beginning in September, but being she plays soccer nearly all year, she figured it was just general tightness from constant usage.

It wasn’t enough for Costello to even think about missing time during her final high school soccer season.

“I genuinely didn’t think much of the injury at all,” Costello said. “I just thought it was that my quad was tight and I’d get through it. But it was more than that.”

Unbeknownst to her, Costello played nearly the entire season with a torn quad, and she was still the most prominent player on nearly every field she stepped on.

Her dominant play, albeit not always leading to statistics as she had five goals and three assists this year, earned Costello Newsday’s girls soccer Player of the Year. Costello moved from an attacking role to more of a field general at midfield and a pivotal piece in transition and setting up both the offense and defense.

The Clemson commit led Ward Melville to its third straight state title as the Patriots finished 20-0-1. Costello has played multiple tournaments for the U.S. National team as well, including playing for the U.S. Under-17 and Under-15 Women’s Youth National Teams.

“Maddie’s on another level in many ways,” coach John Diehl said. “How she prepares, her approach, her attitude, everything she brings is at another level and that’s why she plays the way she does.

“Her acceleration is one of those things you see non-stop,” he added. “Every time she gets the ball, she can just take that one step and blow by her opponents.”

The midfielder played a key role in Ward Melville going undefeated the last three seasons with a 56-0-7 record and winning three straight state crowns. The 63 straight games without a loss is a Long Island public school girls soccer mark, according to Newsday records.

“She just contributes every way,” Diehl said. “To have a player like that is very rare.”

Nassau Player of the Year: Chloe Benik, Garden City, M, Sr.

Benik led Nassau Conference AAA/AA-I, the top conference in Nassau’s ability-based conference alignment, in points (21) with 14 goals and seven assists. She also led Garden City to a Nassau Class AA title to be named Newsday’s Nassau Player of the Year.

The Cornell commit has one of the most powerful shots on Long Island and proved the ability to score against even the toughest defenders with the top players and coaches scheming to slow her down. She had five multigoal games as Garden City went 15-2-4 this year.

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Leila Anazagasty-Pursoo, St. John the Baptist, D, Sr.

The lockdown defender is also one coaches fear when they see her lining up for a free kick. Along with never shying away from marking up an opposing team’s top playmaker, Pursoo had two goals and two assists this season and is committed to play at Providence.

Isabella Calabro, MacArthur, M, Sr.

The tough and relentless midfielder was integral in every part of the game for the Generals in a 10-6-2 season. The four-year starter had five goals and four assists this year and is committed to play at Seton Hall.

Ghita Haouzi, Half Hollow Hills West, F, Sr.

She led Long Island in goals (30) and points (40) this season with the ability to strike from nearly anywhere on the field. The Youngstown State commit led the Colts to a 12-3 season. She had at least one goal in 14 of 15 games with multiple goals in nine contests.

Olivia Moynihan, Sayville, GK, Sr.

The athletic goalkeeper has a great reaction time and soccer IQ to put herself in the perfect place at the right time for a key save. She was crucial to Sayville going 10-3-3 this season and reaching the Suffolk Class A title game with nine shutouts. Moynihan is committed to play at the University of New Hampshire.

Avrie Nelsen, St. Anthony’s, F, Sr.

The Villanova commit led the CHSAA with 12 goals, including scoring in both the state CHSAA semifinals and final, to lead the Friars to the state title in a 16-1-1 season. Nelsen is a relentless attacker with great speed and helped St. Anthony’s win its sixth state title in the last seven years.

Erin Palmeri, West Islip, D, Sr.

The four-year starting defender was crucial to West Islip’s success to put the Lions in a position to win a county and Long Island crown. Palmeri suffered a leg injury late in the county semifinals, but the St. John’s commit was a stout defender for a West Islip team that won the Long Island Class AA final this season. She also scored four goals.

Evangeline Perdomo, Bay Shore, M, Sr.

Perdomo had 20 goals and six assists with the playmaking ability to create or finish with her speed and athleticism. The four-year varsity player has elite vision and agility to make her one of the most dynamic players on Long Island.

Eloise Rubinstein, Port Washington, M, Soph.

She had 12 goals and six assists as one of the most talented players on any field she steps on despite often being one of the youngest players on it. Her talent earned her an invitation to the U.S. Youth National Team U15 Training Camp and she was dynamic all year for the Vikings.

Adriana Victoriano, Ward Melville, F, Sr.

Victoriano was at her best when the games mattered most. She scored the only goal in Ward Melville’s 1-0 victory over Arlington in the state Class AAA title game less than 24 hours after scoring three goals in a 5-4 victory over Fairport in the state semifinal. She also scored the winner in the semifinal to break a tie at 4. Victoriano also had two goals and an assist in the Suffolk Class AAA final, which was a 3-1 victory over Commack. The Buffalo commit had 21 goals this season.

Nassau Coach of the Year: Danielle Chiera, Oceanside

She guided Oceanside to the Nassau Class AAA championship and its first county title since 1979.

Suffolk Coach of the Year: John Diehl, Ward Melville

He guided Ward Melville to its third straight state title as the Patriots became the first Long Island team since Massapequa (2013-15) to win three straight state crowns. Ward Melville also set the Long Island public school record for consecutive games without a loss (63) and that continues into next year as Ward Melville went 20-0-1 this season to improve to 56-0-7 in the last three years.