This year as ever there are a number of local players named here as well as the boys Player of the Year, if I recall correctly as did his father. For the girl's players, 2nd time nominee Jilian Simkin is an All-American out of Albertson SC and the hometown of USWNT player Crystal Dunn, Rockville Centre. Player of the Year for the girls is from the left coast, Sophie Jones of the San Jose Earthquakes. The boys had a far stronger presence locall possibly due to more acadamies? Following in his fathers footsteps a few decades back, Giovanni Reyna takes the top spot from NYCFC, joining him are teamates, Tayvon Gray of the Bronx, Justin Hack from Brooklyn, Andres Jason & Joe Scally of Lake Grove right here on Long Island. New York Red Bulls were also represented by Peter Stroud.
It was not surprising that 38 of the 47 boys selected are out of MLS academies, I was rather surprised to see that the underwhelming minority of the girls were not out of MLS/NWSL academies, a handful, literally, at 5 of their 47.