Izzy Hutnak did not enter the season as the favorite to be named the Maine Sunday Telegram girls’ soccer player of the year.

Personal honors certainly were not her goal.

But the way Hutnak, a senior forward at Greely, finished the season earned her both the team championship she sought and the individual accolades she deserved.

“After we had a heartbreaking loss in last year’s regional final (against Cape Elizabeth in penalty kicks), we knew what our goal was and we weren’t going to stop until we made it to the state final,” Hutnak said.

Hutnak’s three-goal, one-assist effort keyed Greely’s 5-1 win over York in the Class B South final.

The 6-0 victory over Hermon in the Class B state championship game was an 80-minute celebration of success.

Hutnak and long-time running mate Jocelyn Mitiguy – herself a candidate for player of the year – each scored twice. That brought Hutnak’s playoff goal total to seven, her season total to 18, and her career total to 51.

She said her individual success is a reflection of the team’s strength.

“I really do feel that way,” Hutnak said. “It’s exciting for me, but I just love to talk about my team. We had so many players who could score throughout the season.”

Hutnak’s two-way effort and willingness to make run after tireless run have been staples for Greely’s offense. Down the stretch, she finished with a higher degree of accuracy.

“I was just so determined when I got to the playoffs but I don’t know how I scored so much,” she said.

“Izzy is a true-born forward,” said Greely Coach Josh Muscadin. “She has that knack for anticipation and timing and she has the speed.”

“She’s a phenomenal forward/midfielder,” said York Coach Wally Caldwell. “She’s highly skilled, quick as well as fast, and best of all, she’s humble. No one can do the things she does on such a consistent basis.”

Other players who received strong consideration for the Telegram player of the year award included SMAA offensive player of the year Ciera Berthiaume of Windham and Camden Hills’ twin scoring threats – senior Emma Gutheinz and junior Charlotte Messer.

Hutnak intends to play college soccer and is hopeful her next stop will be Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, where she intends to study nursing.

“I really didn’t have personal goals entering the season,” Hutnak said. “It was just about doing well as a team. I just wanted to play for my team.”

Sunday Telegram All-State Team

Ciera Berthiaume, Windham senior forward: Able to create space and score from distance, Berthiaume was the SMAA offensive player of the year and finished her career with 65 goals.

Montana Braxton, Cape Elizabeth senior midfielder: Regarded by many as the best two-way midfielder in the state, Braxton is a repeat All-State pick and is also on the short list of Maine candidates for All-New England honors.

Opal Curless, Mt. Desert Island senior midfielder: A repeat All-State pick, the Penobscot Valley Conference player of the year scored 28 goals and was the only player from Maine selected to play in a high school All-American game. She will play next season at Syracuse.

Eryn Doiron, Mt. Blue senior forward: The KVAC player of the year scored a career-high 19 goals and set a school record with 50 career goals.

Emma Gutheinz, Camden Hills senior forward: Set the school’s career scoring record on her way to a 24-goal, 10-assist season, helping the Windjammers to the No. 1 ranking in their first season in Class A North.

Vanessa Hodge, Sanford junior forward: Led the SMAA with 22 goals, including a hat trick in a win against defending Class A champion Windham. Fast, quick and feisty, Hodge led a team that improved by six wins and finished 10-3-2.

Cady Houghton, Gorham senior defender: A strong, vocal leader on the back line, Houghton was exceptional in the air and led the Rams to the Class A South title while being named SMAA defensive player of the year. The repeat All-State pick also scored eight goals.

Izzy Hutnak, Greely senior forward: Hutnak was very good in the regular season as the Rangers went 12-2 and even better in the playoffs, scoring seven times as Greely won the Class B title in dominating fashion. She scored 18 goals in all, giving her 51 for her career.

Charlotte Messer, Camden Hills junior midfielder: Combined with Gutheinz to lead a potent offense that compiled 94 goals. Messer scored 19 goals and had a team-high 17 assists while earning all-KVAC honors.

Jocelyn Mitiguy, Greely senior midfielder: A repeat All-State pick, Mitiguy usually set the Rangers’ dynamic offense in motion from the center of the field but could also finish herself, scoring 15 goals.

Lexi Nason, Thornton Academy senior goalkeeper: Had eight shutout wins and posted a 0.94 goals-against average while saving 84 percent of the shots she faced. Was the first-team all-SMAA goalie.

Coach of the Year

Jeanne Zarrilli, Gorham: Blended a team of experienced players with an infusion of young talent and had the Rams playing their best at the end of the season to reach the Class A championship game, where they lost to Bangor.

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