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Crews ends career with gutsy final run

By Randy Lefko
Posted 3/21/18

ORANGE PARK – St. Johns Country Day School senior forward Payton Crews has played admirably in the trenches for the Lady Spartans for the past seven championship years and has been one of the …

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Crews ends career with gutsy final run


Posted

ORANGE PARK – St. Johns Country Day School senior forward Payton Crews has played admirably in the trenches for the Lady Spartans for the past seven championship years and has been one of the many key cogs in coach Mike Pickett’s attack.
Crews, the workhorse middle forward for Pickett’s full frontal offensive attack scheme has been the main target for many of Pickett’s first salvos at enemy goalies.
“She grinded for us this year and made things happen,” said Pickett, who noted Crews is a top five lister in scoring and assists in a career for St. Johns. “She was so dangerous as a scorer and then was able to feed off to Abbey (Newton) or Kamy (Loustau) because teams could not figure out who to stop.”
As the Spartans crushed Miami Country Day School 6-0 in the Class 1A championship game, Crews scored twice, but Pickett maintains that Crews turned up her intensity level about five weeks before that game.
“I think she wanted to leave her legacy,” said Pickett. “Abbey gets a lot of awards and nominations because she’s explosive and so fast on her feet, but Payton turned it up a notch at the end of the season.”
For her leadership at the top of the high-powered Spartan offense, Crews is selected as the Clay Today Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
Surprisingly, with the 2018 Florida Dairy Farmer’s Miss Florida Player of Year, the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 1A Player of the Year and a twice selected Clay Today Player of the Year in front of her; senior Abbey Newton, Crews was a intergral part of Newton being able to score 35 goals for the Spartans as well as getting her own 28 goals off 95 shots on goal. Crews was the top “headball” player for Pickett accepting many of corner kick specialist Alisa Detlefsen’s corners and either scoring or giving Newton and senior Kamy Loustau (18 goals) a rebound to pound in for goals.
“We scored a lot of goals on those corner set pieces because Payton almost always was first head to the ball,” said Pickett. “If it doesn’t go in, the rebound gets scooped up by someone. We put all the girls on the line for that reason.”
Both Detlefsen and Newton have been selected as Clay Today All County First Teamers for a second season in the forward position with Clay High senior Lea Plante the third member of the high scoring frontal attack.
“Alisa was our starting point at midfield for offense most of the time,” said Pickett. “She is so smart as to the direction of flow and has one of the premiere service balls in Florida. She is so accurate and that’s how Abbey and Payton get goals.”
Plante, who was had power players Liz Fogarty, Brooke Green and Alyssa Stoffel, all graduated, in tandem with her, became the point player for coach Stephanie Waugh, who’s Blue Devils annually battle with state powerhouse Ponte Vedra, a region semifinalist. Plante finished with 23 goals and 11 assists.
At the midfield stripe, Oakleaf lands two Clay County First Teamers in seniors Michelle Kanaskie and Zoe Perez with St. Johns senior Kamy Loustau. Kanaskie speed and dexterity gave her 54 career goals for the Lady Knights while Perez, a stronger, more aggressive player, landed 15 goals and 18 assists in combination with Kanaskie most of the time.
Loustau became just one of many scoring threats for the Spartans with 18 goals coming from her strong runs down the right side of opposing goals.
On defense, St. Johns’ senior Kirsten Pavlisko, one of the fastest athletes on a soccer field, converted from a forward position off the sideline to a damage causing defender in the playoffs with her ability to cover ground quickly. Pavlisko also contributed 16 goals with nine assists.
“She is so fast as a center defensive back and that’s where she will likely play at Florida State University,”said Pickett. “I try to ready our kids for college at this level.”
One of the more dependable stoppers on the field, Fleming Island senior Mackenzie Ayers, was a controlling force in front of goalie Rachel Conomea, the First Team goalie with 86 saves.
The final defender on the first team is Oakleaf High senior Alyssa Farmer, who patrolled near the 50 yard line and set up most of the Knights scoring runs to Kanaskie with her deft passing.


Player of Year
Payton Crews, SJCDS, Sr., 28 goals, 25 assists, 95 SOGs, 53.6 minutes per game

First Team
Abbey Newton, SJCDS, Sr., , 35 goals, 26 assists, 52 minutes
Alisa Detlefsen, SJCDS, Sr., 8 Goals, 36 assists, 57 minutes, 139 CK
Lea Plante, CHS, Sr. (23 goals, 11 assists)
Michelle Kanaskie, OHS, Sr., (54 career goals)
Zoe Perez, OHS, Sr., (15 goals, 18 assists)
Kamy Loustau, SJCDS, Sr., 18 goals, 13 assists 60 minutes
Kirsten Pavlisko, SJCDS, Sr., 16 goals, 9 assists
Alyssa Farmer, OHS, Sr., Point player for Knights offense
Mackenzie Ayers, FIHS, Sr., Controlled FIHS defense in front of goal
Rachel Conomea, FIHS, Jr., Goalie, (86 saves)

Second team
DeeDee Taylor, KHHS, Jr., lead scorer on young team
Kamryn Towers, SJCDS, 16 goals, 7 assists
Autumn Woodard, RHS, Sr., 100th goal in 2018
Kyleigh Reedy, RHS, Sr., Panther assist leader
Anna Carrico, SJCDS, Sr., 4 goals, 6 assists
Maryssa Kosman, FIHS, Jr., (8 goals)
Payton Walton, SJCDS, So., Throw-in best
Jacie Ankrom, OPHS, Sr.
Jenna Hill, CHS, Sr.
Micaela French, OHS, Sr.
Taylor Hosek, CHS, Sr., goalie

Honorable Mention
CHS: Lynette Quinones, Sophie Fogg, Emily Luke
KHHS: Kealey Jones, Haley Phillips
SJCDS: Lauren Weiss, Maddie Wilkes
MHS: Kaitlyn Perrine, Kira Goodwin, Olivia Beauchain, Holly Barnhouse
FIHS:Cali Larson, Sr., (12 goals); Kirsten Sciartelli
RHS: Anya Alecca, 20 goals, 17 assists