Give them a ball and field, and watch excellence

KELLY CROYSDALE
School/grade: Austintown Fitch, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: The Falcons captain was named third team All-State, first team All-District, first team All-Mahoning County, first team Federal League and team Most Valuable Player for the third-straight year. The four-year letter winner scored 17 goals and seven assists, was awarded the all-Ohio Athletic Achievement Award and was a WYTV Student Athlete of the Week.
Name someone who has been a positive influence in your athletic career: My sister, Kristy, has been a very positive influence in my athletic career. She is my role model, my rock and my best friend. I can always count on her to be there when I need her most. Another is my dad who has been my number-one fan and coach, next to Coach T [Carlo Trafficante]. My dad is always there at every game cheering me on and he is always the first to say how proud he is of me. Words cannot fully describe how special these two people truly are to me.
Best memory from this season: Winning the district championship -- beating Boardman and Canfield in order to achieve this feat were the best memories I could ever ask for as a senior. Overall, this past season was full of many moments of happiness, history, but most importantly hope. Hope for the future that wherever the path may lead, I know all of my teammates will achieve success. These were the moments that I will remember forever.
Something about yourself that people don't know or would be surprised to learn: I am a valedictorian candidate and I have played piano for eight years.
JODI BOWLEN
School/grade: Austintown Fitch, sophomore.
Statistics and accomplishments: Led team in goals with 24 and recorded 11 assists. Named first team All-District, first team All-Federal League, first team All-Mahoning County. Second-year letter recipient and team's offensive player of the year.
Positive influence: Most of all, my parents have proven to be the biggest influence on my athletic career. They have devoted many hours making sure that I have had every opportunity to excel at soccer. This has always been a true motivation for me.
Best memory: Scoring five goals against Canfield in the district semifinal game. Because of this (a 5-1 victory), we advanced to the district championship. Also, winning the district championship is something I will always remember, as we were the first Fitch girls soccer team to accomplish this.
Surprised to learn: I really enjoy basketball and regret that my club soccer schedule conflicts with the high school basketball season. I missed playing this year, but have found that I do not have time for both sports.
BRITTAN DAVIS
School/grade: Poland, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: First team Metro-Athletic Conference, first team All-District, first team All-Mahoning County. A team captain, she led the Bulldogs with 12 assists and scored 19 goals.
Positive influence: [Basketball] Coach [Jamie] Dunn taught me good work ethics, how to be a team player and instilled a determination to succeed regardless of the size of the obstacle. [Softball] Coach [Reid] Lamport taught me to keep things in perspective. [Soccer] Coach [Jim] Sutman gave me the opportunity to play the game I love.
Best memory: Scoring four goals in the district final game against Hubbard, defeating them 4-1.
Surprised to learn: I enjoy art, and I write poetry daily.
KATIE FRANK
School/grade: Ursuline, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: First team All-Steel Valley Conference, first team All-District, first team All-County and team most valuable player.
Positive influence: George Djisheff for always being there for me. Everyone will miss him.
Best memory: The Mooney game and Mr. D getting kicked out of the West Branch game.
Surprised to learn: I'm in the band and on the bowling team, and will be attending Slippery Rock University in the fall for athletic training.
KRISTA GINNETTI
School/grade: Poland, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: Scored 26 goals and nine assists as senior; second team All-Metro Athletic Conference as a freshman, sophomore and junior, first team All-MAC as senior; Division II District Player of the Year, first team All-State and WYTV student-athlete of the week.
Positive influence: My father because he has coached me ever since I was 5. He always believed in me and knew I had the potential to become a great player. He supported me, pushed me to be my best and made me believe in myself.
Best memory: Winning the district championship against Hubbard and scoring two goals in the regional game.
Surprised to learn: I'm bashful!
BRITTNY NICOLE HUMPHREY
School/grade: Liberty, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: Scored her 100th career goal. Named first team All-Trumbull Athletic Conference, first team All-Trumbull County, first team All-District.
Positive influence: My brother, John, because he picks me up when I'm feeling down. He tells me what I should do during a game, like make moves to beat the defender, and he is always there for me.
Best memory: Scoring my 100th goal.
Surprised to learn: I was a debutante in the 48th Cinderella Ball sponsored by the Junior Civic League.
SARAH MANGIARELLI
School: Howland, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: She ranked third in the state by scoring 31 goals. She was selected the District's Division I Player of the Year and was honored with first team all-Metro Athletic Conference, first team All-Trumbull County, first team District and first team All-Ohio.
Positive influence: My father, Bob Mangiarelli, has been a positive influence on my athletic career. He has demonstrated excellence in football and track at Campbell Memorial High School and was inducted into their first Hall of Fame. He has led through his example and support.
Best memory: Scoring three goals against Poland at Poland for the win which allowed us an undefeated season in the MAC.
Surprised to learn: I love extreme rides and I won the fifth-grade boys/girls arm wrestling championship.
BRITTANY MCKEE
School/grade: Hubbard, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: Team co-captain, seven goals and four assists as a defender, team's best defensive player and Riordan's Lady Eagle of the Year, first team All-Trumbull Athletic Conference, first team All-Trumbull County, first team All-District, third team All-Ohio, Academic All-Ohio, Action Athlete of the Week
Positive influence: All of my previous coaches, especially Mr. Daly, for getting me into this sport; Mr. Lewis for teaching me how much fun it is; and Smitty for putting up with me and guiding me for four years. Also, my Aunt Michele, who has stuck by me, listened to me, and most importantly, believed in me through all my endeavors.
Best memory: Playing Poland in the district finals. I was injured the first time around and I waited all season for that one final game. Plus, not many people believed that we would even make it that far, but we beat the odds.
Surprised to learn: I dream of one day being able to cook hamburgers on the grill without burning them!
HANNAH MILLER
School/grade: Badger, sophomore.
Statistics and accomplishments: First team All-Trumbull County small school, first team All-District. She scored 13 goals and 12 assists.
Positive influence: The group of boys I play with during the off-season has a totally different style of play. I think that has really changed me to become a better player.
Best memory: Practicing one evening late in October in a hail storm. We also went out to dinner as a team one night and had a great time talking and laughing.
Surprised to learn: I think diagramming sentences is fun.
VANA MORGAN
School/grade: West Branch, junior.
Statistics and accomplishments: First team Northeastern Buckeye Conference, first team All-Mahoning County, first team All-District. She was a team captain and a three-year letter winner.
Positive influence: My mom and dad, for supporting me in all my sports and encouraging me and buying all that equipment, and for driving me everywhere before I got my license. Thanks. Also, all my coaches each influenced me in different ways, which I am able to apply to all my sports and to life.
Best memory: Tying Poland and Mooney (this is where our old coach is now coaching), because they are two really good teams and no one thought that we could tie them. Also, our undefeated 11-0-5 record is a good memory.
Surprised to learn: I have a 4.0 GPA, and I play basketball and softball, too. My favorite food is macaroni and cheese.
AMBER RASMUSSEN
School/grade: Bristol, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: She scored 40 goals for the season and was named MVP, first team All-Trumbull County, first team All-District.
Positive influence: I have had so many people who have influenced my career, but if I had to choose one, it would be my dad, John. He supported me ever since I was 3 years old, kicking the soccer ball in my backyard. He tried to make every game, and he drove me to Cleveland and Youngstown, to my traveling teams, even though he had other things to do.
Best memory: Reaching my 100th career goal.
Surprised to learn: I'm going to be playing on the first women's soccer team at Cleveland State University.
MARISA SIMON
School/grade: Cardinal Mooney, sophomore.
Statistics and accomplishments: First team All-Steel Valley Conference, first team All-Mahoning County, second team All-Ohio. She scored 14 goals and 19 assists. She was third in Division II for assists and fifth overall in the state. In her career, she has 32 goals and 36 assists.
Positive influence: My dad has coached me since I was 5 and always has the best advice to give me about my game. Neil Fowler has also been a huge inspiration to me and has helped me become the best player I could be, and also my best friend, Zach Hernan. He's always honest with me and will practice with me whenever I need.
Best memory: My favorite memory isn't so much of the soccer, but of all the fun I've had with my teammates. It's something I know I won't forget.
Surprised to learn: I've played soccer in Austria and Sweden.
BRITTANY SIRAK
School/grade: Boardman, junior.
Statistics and accomplishments: She scored 23 goals and recorded six assists. First team All-County, first team All-District, first team All-Federal League. She was selected her team's most valuable offensive player.
Positive influence: My identical twin sister, Lauren. We count on each other mentally, physically and emotionally in a game. She's always there for me and it's nice to have each other on the field. Also my grandparents drive from Hermitage, Pa., to most of my games, and my granddad cries every time I score a goal.
Best memory: Our team was really close this year so I have a lot of fun memories with all of them. However, it was nice beating Poland this year as well as Fitch the first time.
Surprised to learn: I have a 4.0 grade-point average and I also play basketball for the Spartans.
LANDRY YANKLE
School/grade: Poland, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: The Bulldogs goalie recorded nine shutouts this season and was voted second team all-Metro Athletic Conference for the third straight year.
Positive influence: Otto Orf, the Cleveland Crunch goalie. I attended his camps for three years and learned many goalie skills that prepared me mentally and physically for what was needed to play my position.
Best memory: Our team scoring two goals in our regional semifinal to make school history. In the past, Poland teams have never scored in the regional.
Surprised to learn: I really wanted to play football.
WHITNEY ZUNIC
School/grade: Canfield, senior.
Statistics and accomplishments: First team All-District, first team All-Mahoning County, second team All-Metro Athletic Conference. The Cardinals received academic honors and defeated top-seeded Green 3-0 in tournament.
Positive influence: Coach Jon Ulicney. He always made sure everything was perfect for his seniors and wouldn't let anything stop him from making this a good season for us.
Best memory: The Dedication Ball, coming together when we needed to and, just for laughs, "Goooal Copley!"
Surprised to learn: I'm involved in a lot in our school and would really like to be in the spring musical but can't because of my busy basketball and softball schedules.
COACH CARLO TRAFFICANTE
School/year: Fitch, second.
Statistics and accomplishments: The Falcons went 13-5-2 and were district champions for the first time. Trafficante was voted Federal League Coach of the Year.
Positive influence: Several people have been influential in my few years of coaching at the varsity level. The most influential have been the players and assistant coaches of the team. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by coaches and players who truly love the game of soccer and who possess a high level of commitment, dedication and enthusiasm to become the best coaches and players possible. When you are surrounded by individuals who have such a strong commitment to excellence, you can't help but be influenced by them in so many ways.
Best memory: The memory from this past season that I cherish the most is when I had the honor of presenting to each member of the team her district champions medals. The smiles and expressions on each of their faces is something I will not forget for a long time.
Surprised to learn: I recently earned my master's degree in counselor education.