GAINESVILLE (March 9) – Abbey Newton of St. Johns Country Day High School (Orange Park) has been selected as the Florida Dairy Farmers 2018 Miss Soccer following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of girls’ high school soccer coaches and media representatives.
Newton, a senior midfielder who has signed to play college soccer for Louisiana State University, scored 35 goals and added 26 assists this season in leading her team to its seventh straight state title. Newton, who finished her career with 134 goals and 124 assists, joins Carson Pickett (2012) as the second Miss Soccer award winner from St. Johns.
Newton, who was earlier named the Class 1A Player-of-the-Year, had 12 first-place votes and tallied 136 points to finish ahead of Class 5A POY Jordan Diverniero of Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (96) in the voting. Class 3A POY Sydny Nasello of Land O’ Lakes (67) finished third followed by Class 2A POY Olivia Candelino of Bolles (Jacksonville) (51) and Class 4A POY Brooke Walsh (33) of Viera.
Mike Pickett, who guided St. Johns Country Day to a 26-0 record and the school’s seventh consecutive state championship, was named the Florida Dairy Farmers Girls’ Soccer Coach-of-the-Year for the second straight year. The Spartans currently have an 83-game unbeaten streak and earned USA Today’s No. 1 national ranking after winning their 10th state title in Pickett’s 20 years at St. Johns. He has led his team to Final Four appearances in 14 of the past 15 years and has compiled an overall record of 421-54 and was also named state Coach-of-the-Year in 2012.
Pickett, who was previously selected as the Class 1A Coach of the Year, finished with 117 points in winning this year’s award. Placing second was Class 4A COY Libby Diamond, who tallied 83 points after guiding Estero to a state runnerup finish. Class 2A COY Matt Tracy of
The Bolles School (70) finished third in the voting followed by Class 3A COY Scott Carswell of Merritt Island (68) and Class 5A COY Scott Waisanen of Oviedo (52).
The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This is the 26th year of these unique awards as we honor the state’s top athletes and coaches in all 30 FHSAA sanctioned and recognized sports. The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.
2018 FINAL VOTING RESULTS (Area winners in bold)
Player Total Points 1st-place Votes
Abbey Newton 136 12
Jordan Diverniero 96 6
Sydny Nasello 67 2
Olivia Candelino 51 0
Brooke Walsh 33 0
Past Miss Soccer Winners:
1993 – Stacia Masters, Tampa Leto
1994 – Robin Cofer, Clearwater Central Catholic
1995 – Jill Ford, Orange Park
1996 – Gina Foster, St. Thomas Aquinas
1997 – Andrea Sellers, Satellite Beach
1998 – Alexis Mackenzie, St. Thomas Aquinas
1999 – Aly Benitez, Lake Brantley
2000 – Nandi Pryce, Lake Howell
2001 – Annie Adams, Gulf Breeze
2002 – Holly Ryder, Plantation American Heritage
2003 – Alison Tradd, Lake Mary
2004 – Ashlyn Harris, Satellite
2005 – Brianna Schooley, Parkland Douglas
2006 – Brianna Schooley, Parkland Douglas
2007 – Ella Stephan, Satellite
2008 – Kayla Grimsley, Lakeland George Jenkins
2009 – Kristen Grubka, Melbourne
2010 – Dara Spital, Miami Gulliver Prep
2011 – Dara Spital, Miami Gulliver Prep
2012 – Carson Pickett, Orange Park St. John’s Country Day
2013 – Tabitha Tindell, Ocala Trinity Catholic
2014 – Melanie Monteagudo, Plantation American Heritage
2015 – Melanie Monteagudo, Plantation American Heritage
2016 – Emily Madril, Navarre
2017 – Miracle Porter, Palm Coast Matanzas
2018 FINAL VOTING RESULTS
Player Total Points 1st-place Votes
Mike Pickett 117 11
Libby Diamond 83 4
Matt Tracy 70 2
Scott Carswell 68 3
Scott Waisanen 52 0
Past Girls’ Soccer Coach Winners:
1993 – Carlos Giron, St. Thomas Aquinas
1994 – Gary Bennett, Longwood Lyman
1995 – Frank Adsit, Jacksonville Bolles
1996 – Rod Kenney, Orange Park
1997 – Carlos Giron, St. Thomas Aquinas
1998 – Bill Eissele, Lake Mary
1999 – Kenny Morgan, Pensacola Washington
2000 – Dean Johnson, Lakeland Christian
2001 – Mike Lagow, Gulf Breeze
2002 – Mike Lagow, Gulf Breeze
2003 – Laura Rountree, Parkland Douglas
2004 – Fidgi Haig, Satellite
2005 – Laura Rountree, Parkland Douglas
2006 – Laura Rountree, Parkland Douglas
2007 – Brett Terry, Satellite
2008 – Joe Lenard, Lakeland George Jenkins
2009 – John Planamenta, Palm Harbor University
2010 – Scott Carswell, Merritt Island
2011 – Everton Edwards, Gulliver Prep
2012 – Mike Pickett, Orange Park St. Johns Country Day
2013 – Rosanna Lord, Melbourne
2014 – Rosanna Lord, Melbourne
2015 – Matt Tracy, Jacksonville Bolles
2016 – Scott Waisanen, Oviedo
2017 – Mike Pickett, Orange Park St. Johns Country Day
