Iudiciani paces Team White
Team White defeated Team Blue 3-1 in the girls 2019 Niagara Region Soccer Showcase presented by the Niagara College Knights soccer program Tuesday at Youngs Sportsplex in Welland. Photo by Ryan McCullough/Niagara Knights
Emily Iudiciani didn’t hesitate for a second when she was asked to participate in the 2019 Niagara Region Soccer Showcase presented by the Niagara College Knights soccer program.
“It was an immediate yes. I was super-excited,” said Iudiciani, an 18-year-old, Grade 12 student at A.N. Myer. “I got the e-mail and was looking forward to it.”
Iudiciani showed she belonged and then some, scoring a goal and being player of the game, as Team White defeated Team Blue 3-1 in the girls game played Tuesday at Youngs Sportsplex in Welland.
“It feels really good. It’s extra special. It’s an honour being here so it makes it better,” she said of the award.
Iudiciani began playing at age four and has played travel for the Jets, Titans and United.
“I grew up playing with these girls so I know what it’s like,” she said. “You have to step up your game when you come to things like this playing with the best of the region.
“You just have to give it all you got.”
Iudiciani tried to keep it simple considering the team had no time to practice together.
“Play respectable and just play your own game,” she said when asked what strategy was employed. “(Just) passing and using your teammates and showing your talent, really.”
Iudiciani plans to study psychology and is hoping to land a scholarship south of the border.
“I want to keep playing soccer if I can. I want to see what soccer can bring me,” said Iudiciani, who normally lines up as a striker. “I’m still looking at my options but this is a good start.”
More than 80 of the area’s best high school soccer players, representing 22 Niagara high schools, participated.
Each high school was invited to submit players for the event and the players were split evenly into two rosters.
Making up Team Blue were: Breanna Habinski and Parker Midgley from Greater Fort Erie; Julia Thies, Julie Buist and Terin Hultink from Smithville Christian; Sydney Fedak, Emily Slota and Macy Hellwig from Denis Morris; Erica VanSoelen from Heritage Christian; Sarah Mateus-Jimenez from Sir Winston Churchill; Sydney MacNeil from Saint Francis; Sommer Newton from E.L. Crossley; Darrien Ryan and Sophia Belcastro from Notre Dame; Katharine Solomon from Saint Paul; and, Drew Smith from Blessed Trinity,
Making up Team White were: Isabelle Newkirk and Madison Small from Governor Simcoe; Reanna Beaudoin from Jean Vanier; Kaitlyn Pressley from Thorold Secondary School; Lauren Carter from Saint Michael; Julia Barker and Kiana DiFrancesco from Sir Winston Churchill; Nadia Lobzun from Denis Morris; Olivia Noyes and Thalia D’Gyves from Notre Dame; Hailey Gowel from Lakeshore Catholic; Brianna Bishop and Emily Iudiciani from A.N. Myer; Maia MacLean from Saint Paul; and, Kennedy Saxton from Centennial.
STATS PACK
White 3 Blue 1
BPSN Players of the Game: Team Blue’s Sydney MacNeil and Team White’s Emily Iudiciani.
For Team White: Goals by Kennedy Saxton, Brianna Bishop and Iuduciani
For Team Blue: Goal by MacNeil.
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