Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls soccer: Bishop Kenny’s Stella Jones shines in final season

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Stella Jones was at a crossroads in her soccer career.

The mental and emotional part of the game almost drove her out of soccer completely. Years later, Jones’ final season was proof that she picked the right sport and found ways to get through hurdles that she had early on.

The Bishop Kenny senior and Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls soccer player of the year capped off an unbelievable career with a starring role on a team that played for a championship.

Jones finished with 21 goals and 20 assists and will head to the Naval Academy to play soccer.

Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls soccer players of the year

Jones said that during her youth soccer years, she questioned whether she could continue in the sport. It was the combination of many things in life … academics, the pressures of competitive soccer, trying to be a kid … that made Jones take a hard look at what her future in the sport looked like.

“I think there’s a lot of the mental side of sports. It’s very deep and complex, and everybody deals with it differently,” Jones said. “Mine, I was struggling with how am I going to control my emotions? I mean, I was a 12-year-old girl, it’s already pretty emotional. And then trying to balance that with being a really competitive person. You could tell in just like the way I played, I would start to get panicked.”

Jones said that it took time to face head-on and work through. As she became better at processing her emotions, she learned how to turn down the volume in her head and channel that into positive energy. The results were worth it for the Crusaders. A two-time first-team All-News4JAX selection, Jones scored 40 career goals and added 34 assists.

“I think that was a big learning curve for me. Just kind of understanding how to regulate all of that,” she said. “As soon as I got through that, everything else kind of slid into place perfectly.”

Jones was the driving senior force on Kenny as it looked to get back to the state semifinals. The Crusaders reached the final four last year only to lose big to Bishop Moore. Jones wouldn’t let Kenny suffer the same result. She scored two goals as the Crusaders beat Barron Collier 3-2 to reach their first title game since 2020.

“Going into the season, we were really looking forward to get back to the final four. We knew we wanted to make it to the state final. That was our big goal this year,” she said. “And throughout the season, we had a lot of success and also faced a lot of adversity with a couple of injuries. But we had a lot of young players step up and we achieved our goal. And it was just a really great season, a really fun season. Scored a lot of goals, had a lot of goal scorers, and it was awesome.”

All-News4JAX girls soccer team

First team

Position, Player, School, Class

F Layla Davis, Bartram Trail, Jr.

Took a major step forward this season. Scored 20 goals and had five assists to lead perennial power Bears in scoring.

F Lily Morse, Ponte Vedra, Sr.

Led national No. 1-ranked Sharks in scoring with 17 goals, eight assists. Four-year starter who finished her career with 64 goals, 24 assists and a pair of state championships. Headed to Dartmouth. Three-time All-News4JAX selection.

F Victoria Sarka, St. Johns Country Day, Sr.

Excellent final season for the Spartans. Boosted scoring massively (from 11 to 32 goals). Added 11 assists. Had 43 goals and 23 assists over last two high school seasons. Headed to Trevecca Nazarene University.

MF Camila Adame, Creekside, Jr.

Had nine goals and three assists for Knights. Committed to Texas Tech. Member of Puerto Rican U17 women’s national team

MF Jackie Bessman, Creekside, Sr.

Had 11 assists and five goals for 12-3-3 Knights. Committed to Kennesaw State University.

MF Stella Jones, Bishop Kenny, Sr.

All-News4JAX player of the year. Raised her all-around game to push Crusaders into state championship game. Finished with 21 goals, 20 assists. Had 40 goals and 34 assists in her career. Two-time All-News4JAX selection.

D Kate Bachman, Beachside, So.

Strong centerback for rising program in St. Johns County. Helped Barracudas post 11 shutouts and surrender just 11 goals in 12-4-2 playoff season.

D Lulu Consunji, Ponte Vedra, Jr.

Had 10 goals and an assist as Sharks went 15-1-2 and held No. 1 ranking in the nation until playoff loss. Two-time All-News4JAX selection. Committed to the University of Central Florida.

D Kate Kirby, Bartram Trail, Sr.

Four-year player for the Bears who had career-high in goals (five) and tied career-high in assists (six). One of big-time senior leaders for a very young Bartram team that went 15-3-4.

D Cate Petre, Bishop Kenny, Sr.

Attacking defender was instrumental in Kenny’s run to the championship game. Scored 15 goals, 15 assists and a provided lockdown defense that led to a dozen shutouts. Headed to Sam Houston State.

GK Alyvia Bishop, St. Johns Country Day, Sr.

Turned in stellar goals against average (0.573) against a tough schedule. Had 14 shutouts and made 65 saves for Class 1A state semifinalist Spartans.

GK Abby Kennedy, Ponte Vedra, Jr.

A fortress in goal for the Sharks. Huge reason why the team allowed just 11 goals all season. Helped team win state championship in 2025. Made 39 saves this year.

Second team

Position, Player, School, Class

F Shea Donovan, Bishop Kenny, Fr.

Unbelievable freshman season for the two-sport star. Had 17 goals and seven assists for state runner-up Crusaders.

F Alana Hornberger, Nease, So.

Had 15 goals and a pair of assists to lead the 13-5-2 Panthers in scoring and into the playoffs.

F Bella Rutherford, Mandarin, Sr.

Best season of her career. Scored 24 goals and had six assists to lead Mustangs into playoffs. Finished career with 60 goals, 19 assists. Headed to Alabama A&M.

F Kendall Trimiar, Providence, Jr.

Team-leading 14 goals to help Stallions go 14-5-2 and reach the state semifinals. Added eight assists. Headed to Daytona State College.

MF Calli Berrang, St. Johns Country Day, Sr.

Helped push the Spartans to the state semifinals with 14 assists and 10 goals.

MF Bella Duenas, Beachside, Sr.

Injury cut short her season after just four goals, but team captain one of the most respected players by coaches in the area.

MF Alana Mantello, St. Johns Country Day, So.

One of the best around in setting up goals. Had 26 assists for the perennial power Spartans. Added four goals.

D Emma Dresback, Creekside, Sr.

Auburn University at Montgomery signee. Scored three goals, but specialty was lockdown defense in the back for Knights.

D Sascha Brooks, Atlantic Coast, So.

Rising star is a shutdown player in the back for Stingrays.

D Mia Lieb, Bolles, Sr.

Well-respected defender for the Bulldogs who scored three times and added three assists.

D Anna Perry, Bishop Kenny, Sr.

Had a couple goals and an assist for Crusaders squad that played for championship. Helped Kenny hold teams to just 19 goals in 18-4 season.

GK Alannah Zander, Beachside, Sr.

Four-year starter for the Barracudas. Allowed just 11 goals for 12-4-2 Beachside. Headed to Valdosta State.

Honorable mention

Position, Player, School, Class

MF Belle Alford, St. Joseph, Jr.

D Charlotte Andrus, Clay, Sr.

F Alexa Arline, Yulee, Fr.

F Kendyl Banks, Oakleaf, Sr.

F Maysie Bader, Middleburg, Jr.

MF Madyson Bauman, St. Johns Country Day, Sr.

D Bria Bedway, Bartram Trail, Fr.

MF Sarah Benjamin, Fernandina Beach, Sr.

F Lakyn Boyer, Tocoi Creek, So.

D Chloe Chandler, Ponte Vedra, So.

MF Layla Cummings, St. Augustine, So.

MF Katie Cunningham, Providence, Jr.

MF Sienna Dancel, Fletcher, Sr.

D Abrianna Delgatti, Bishop Kenny, Fr.

F Kadence Gallup, Fernandina Beach, Fr.

D Logan Griffin, Creekside, Sr.

MF Savannah Hartford, Creekside, Sr.

MF Lila Kassel, Mandarin, Fr.

MF Avery Kelly, Menendez, So.

F Karter Koon, Baker County, So.

F Ellie Larkin, Nease, So.

F Paisley LeMaistre, Wolfson, Fr.

F Nalina Light, Middleburg, Fr.

D Bella Malhatra, Bolles, Fr.

D Ava McLaughlin, Bartram Trail, Sr.

F Reagan Moyer, St. Joseph, Fr.

F Ariel Najera, Yulee, Sr.

MF McKenna Lukanich, Tocoi Creek, Sr.

GK Natalie Neal, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.

F Evie Oliver, Fernandina Beach, So.

GK Cora Parker, Clay, Sr.

D Charlie Parsons, St. Augustine, So.

F Miller Pickett, Wolfson, So.

MF Lila Rinalli, Episcopal, Jr.

MF Grace Raymond, Ponte Vedra, Jr.

F Rachel Samilian, Christ’s Church, Fr.

D Hailey Simmons, Flagler Palm Coast, Jr.

D Eva Sites, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.

D Maddie Smith, Episcopal, Sr.

MF Parker Smith, Beachside, Jr.

F Ryli Snow, Mandarin, Jr.

D Avery Suvoski, Bolles, Jr.

F Maddie Tight, Episcopal, Jr.

MF Kendall Underwood, Bartram Trail, Fr.

F Millie Vieczorek, St. Joseph, Fr.

F Anastasia Virata, Fletcher, Sr.

F Tatum Waugh, Clay, Jr.