BOSTON — The frigid fall breeze might have created a chilling sensation at Northeastern on Wednesday evening, but it was a night to remember for Kim Anaya and her East Boston teammates.
The freshman star sniped a late goal, while fellow Jet Isabella Munoz netted a tally herself to help lift Team Burns to a 4-1 victory over Team Nicholas at the annual Boston City League girls soccer All-Star game.
“I’d say for me as a freshman that this was obviously scary going in,” said a laughing Anaya. “But I knew I had my own team from East Boston behind me. I knew that I was going to be able to play on the team with some amazingly skilled girls. I knew going in that they had my back, and I had theirs. Overall, it was a memorable experience, and I hope there’s more to come.”
The All-Star squads were managed by Grace Burns of O’Bryant and Kwami Nicholas of Tech Boston. The coaches each saw impeccable growth with their respective programs this fall, and were deservedly selected to participate in the showcase.
“It’s an honor,” Burns said. “We had such a great season all around. League-wise, I think the level of competition is just getting better and better. It was an honor to coach all of these wonderful athletes.”
Trailing 1-0 in the 21st minute, Team Burns responded as Munoz collected a pass. Standing 25 yards away from the net, the senior midfielder fired a shot toward the cage. The attempt soared through the air, lofting over the goalkeeper’s outstretched hand for a snipe as her squad evened the score at 1-all.
Just before the half in the 37th minute, O’Bryant senior Allison Audia decided to take a risk and swiped a loose ball from the opposing goalkeeper. The right winger separated herself, then kicked a shot into the open net to provide Team Burns a 2-1 advantage.
As the second half kicked off, Team Burns carried its momentum forward. Boston International’s Edzana Correia tapped a pass and collected herself in the box. The junior lobbed a beautiful shot into the twine, making it a 3-1 contest.
“It was good,” Correia said. “Giving some passes, scoring some goals, it was really good.”
Correia wasn’t done. Looking to seal the deal late, the Boston International standout fed a pass to Anaya during a rush for Team Burns. The young East Boston star fired away and blooped a picture-perfect shot home to push the lead to 4-1, icing the game in the process.
Prior to the showcase, Latin Academy senior Maggie Klaas was selected as the Boston City League’s Player of the Year. She was critical for the Dragons during one of their best seasons in a while, leading them to a 10-4-4 record. The senior midfielder tallied the lone goal of the match for Team Nicholas in the 15th minute, concluding her year with one more tally for good measure.
“It means a lot this season,” said Klaas. “This season was definitely our best season throughout my six years playing with this team. … Just ending my senior year off with Player of the Year, being at the All-Star game and a city championship just means everything. I’m really happy to leave that legacy out here for BLA.”
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