Returning Girls Colonial Players to Watch: Liberty Division

<p>The Colonial Conference may be small, but it's home to several of the most competitive squads and players in our region. The Liberty division features the defending South Jersey Group 2 champion, Haddonfield, and the reigning South Jersey Group 1 champion in Haddon Township.</p>   <p>Check out our list of the top seven returning girls' soccer players to watch in the Colonial-Liberty division below, as we're just 22 days away from the first official practice date--- August 18!</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">One of the best overall players in South Jersey, Draham netted a team-high 18 goals and added seven assists for Sterling last fall. The rising senior played a pivotal role in the Knights' success, leading them to a berth in the South Jersey Group 2 final. She has showcased great ball control skills and game awareness, and is currently committed to Monmouth University.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Simko was a nightmare for opposing defenses as a rookie last season. She finished with the most goals on her team, scoring 14, and created plenty of scoring opportunities for West Deptford with six assists. Expect Simko and her squad to thrive, as she has more experience under her belt. Plus, the Eagles didn't lose many players to graduation in the spring.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Martin was a consistent contributor as a freshman last year and was a big reason why Haddon Township made a stunning run to the South Jersey Group 1 title and made an appearance in the state final. She notched 12 goals and added four assists for the Hawks. Haddon Township graduated several of its top seniors this spring, so expect Martin to take an even bigger role if the Hawks want to repeat in South Jersey Group 1.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/hmhsathletics/status/1857236249993531435?s=46 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Haddonfield had its ups and downs last year, owning a subpar record entering the postseason, but in the end, the Bulldawgs got hot at the right time and made an impressive run to the South Jersey Group 2 crown. A rising sophomore, Freedman tallied four goals and three assists for the Bulldawgs and performed at her best in high-stakes games. Three of her goals came against conference opponents. Expect Freedman to perform at an even higher level this fall.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Harris has made a name for herself as one of the best basketball players in the state, but she does more than just shoot hoops. Right before she lights up the basketball court in the winter, her time is occupied in the fall with soccer. The rising junior scored five goals and added two assists for Haddon Heights in 2024. The midfielder has demonstrated exceptional vision and awareness traits for the Garnets. Expect those numbers to rise this fall.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CoachJennyDiLo/status/1879198999212904709 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Varela created numerous scoring opportunities for West Deptford, leading her squad with nine assists last fall. She also scored eight goals. The rising senior and Kutztown commit works well alongside [player_tooltip player_id='270609' first='Ella' last='Simko']. Together, they made a dangerous combo that will be hard for opposing defenses to stop this fall. </p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/gBjlfq-yoHc?si=NP5jMnbuclPO6uIO </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The rising junior has 21 goals and 19 assists to her name through two seasons. Audubon enters this season as one of the top teams to beat in South Jersey Group 1, and Wiltsey is much to credit. She has great footwork and agility. Expect her to help keep the Green Wave in the mix for a sectional title run this fall.</p>    <p></p>

The Colonial Conference may be small, but it's home to several of the most competitive squads and players in our region. The Liberty division features the defending South Jersey Group 2 champion, Haddonfield, and the reigning South Jersey Group 1 champion in Haddon Township.