National senior and junior midfielder Alania Burgin is eyeing a scholarship in the United States and a professional contract in the near future.
Burgin made this disclosure after copping the girls’ Player of the Year accolade at the 2002 British Gas Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) awards ceremony at the Barataria Junior Secondary School on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old scored a record 42 goals for Malick Secondary Comprehensive, who won all the major titles in the girls division — the Under-19 Championship, the RBTT InterCol and the Under-19 league and knockout. So convincing were Malick in the girls Championship Division that they amassed a whopping 116 goals against all opponents.
The petite Burgin, who also doubles as a striker for her school and club Real Dimension, said that her season was “quite well”, adding that her stint with the national women youth and senior outfits proved vital in her preparation for the recently-concluded league season.
Lone girl in a family of nine children, the Morvant resident admitted, “I never thought about winning the award, but I’m glad that I eventually did win it.”
Another utility player, national Under-20 captain and Team 2001 defender Kenwyne Jones, won his second successive MVP title on the evening. The 18-year-old plays as a midfielder for the “Westmoorings Tigers” St Anthony’s, and netted 17 goals during their sensational season, where they won the SSFL North Zone, Big 5, RBTT Intercol North Zonal and national crowns.
The All-Star teams in both boys and girls divisions were announced on the evening, with the Tigers fielding eight players in the Top 17 boys — Jones, fellow Team 2001 players Michael Jan-Williams, Julius James and Roderick Anthony; as well as Kevon Neaves, Steve Sealey, Ian McAuley and national U-20 midfielder Keeron Benito.
Other national youth players in the Top 17 include Princes Town goalkeeper Marvin Phillip and the Naparima pair of Wendell Joseph and Jerol Forbes, the season’s leading goalscorer with 26. And six members of the national women squad were among the girls All Star unit — Burgin, fellow Malick players Niasha Reyes and Nadia James; Ahkeela Mollon of Union/Claxton Bay, St George’s Avionne Douglas and Diego Martin’s Maylee Attin-Johnson.
All-Star Teams —
Boys:
Goalkeepers — Jan-Michael Williams (St Anthony’s), Marvin Phillip (Princes Town);
Defenders — Julius James, Kevon Neaves, Roderick Anthony (St Anthony’s), Dennison Scipio (St Benedict’s), Selvin Duncan (Scarborough);
Midfielders — Keeron Benito, Kenwyne Jones (St Anthony’s), Michael Carrington (Scarborough), Andre Pacheco (Princes Town), Wendell Joseph (Naparima);
Strikers — Steve Sealey, Ian McAuley (St Anthony’s); Jerol Forbes (Naparima), Dwight Lewis (Arima), Linsie Sherwood (Princes Town);
Top Five — Steve Sealey, Kenwyne Jones, Jerol Forbes, Michael Carrington, Marvin Phillip.
Girls:
Goalkeepers — Jisele Sabeeney (Maple Leaf), Kadisha Winford (St George’s);
Defenders — Natalie George, Karen Wickham (St George’s), Michelle Reyes (St Augustine Girls), Nadia James (Malick), Alana Lum York (Providence);
Midfielders — Tanekar Alexander, Afiya Castle, Niasha Reyes (Malick); Kenya Cordner (Roxborough), Avionne Douglas (St George’s);
Strikers — Ahkeela Mollon (Union/Claxton Bay), Alania Burgin (Malick), Maylee Attin-Johnson (Diego Martin Secondary), Jamilla Mathlin (Mucurapo Senior), Linsey Murray (Providence);
Top Five — Ahkeela Mollon, Alania Burgin, Karen Wickham, Nadia James, Jisele Sabeeney.