By Christina Leslie | Correspondent
Seven youth from the Diocese of Trenton successfully channeled their inner soccer stars on their way to the winner’s circle of the 2016 Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge finals held Nov. 5 at the Ewing Township Municipal and Police Facility. Diocese of Trenton girls swept all six female age groups in the competition for youth ages nine through 14, while a boy from the Diocese was successful in the 9-year-old group of competitors.
Scores of boys and girls had competed this fall in the annual competition in local and diocesan-level events throughout the nation, all organized by Knights of Columbus councils. The New Jersey state final in Ewing tested the accuracy of a field of six boys and six girls from each age group, at least one from each of New Jersey’s five Catholic dioceses, in a series of 25 shots from the penalty line 12 yards from the goal.
The two Trenton Diocese winners in the 9-year-old category, John Agogliati and Nathaly De Leon, both scored 165 points during their successful performances.
Ten-year-old Valerie Navarro picked up 185 points on the field, while Skylar Seidenfrau, 11, racked up 175. Twelve-year-old Katie Ciuffreda amassed 210 points.
Thirteen-year-old Claire Ford scored 220 points, and Brianna Stevens, 14, scored 135.
Two of the remaining boys who took home victor’s cups hailed from the Diocese of Paterson: Connor Stark, 10, scored 200 points, and Raymond Lara, 12, scored 150 points. A winning trio from the Diocese of Camden rounded out the field: Sean Konopka, 11, 215 points; Nick Sokolov, 13, 220 points; Michael Mercadante, 14, 225 points.