Ladybirds’ Gibson proclaimed Big East Offensive POY

Southern Nash High girls soccer coach Robbie Kennedy quickly realized at the outset of the season that the Ladybirds would need to bolster their offense in order to contend again for top honors in the 2-A/3-A Big East Conference.

Junior Emory Gibson, who had averaged more than a goal per game her previous two seasons in the midfield, moved up in a big way for Southern Nash. Playing striker, Gibson responded with 50 of Southern Nash’s 115 goals, breaking the program record of 47 goals set by Charlotte Benson in 2023. The Ladybirds didn’t repeat as Big East champions, but still went 8-4 in Big East, good for third place, and 14-6 overall. Southern Nash lost 3-1 to Holly Ridge Dixon in the first round of the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs.

Big East coaches were impressed enough to vote Gibson as the league’s offensive player of the year.

“We didn’t really have a striker and Emory was probably our most efficient scorer,” Kennedy explained of Southern Nash’s early season plight in trying to replace 2023 graduate Amber Patterson up top. “We started out with her at the wing, but we just couldn’t get anything on top so we actually moved to striker, probably two or three games in, and that kind of opened up our offense a little bit.”

Kennedy said the move benefited Gibson, who had all the qualities of a top-notch striker.

“Emory is pretty fast; she’s pretty skilled,” he said. “So she had a really good season. She put a lot of pressure on the defense.”

Gibson, now with 108 career goals, added 13 assists as she landed on the All-Big East team for the third consecutive year. Benson, who was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year last spring, garnered her third all-conference plaudit. Senior McKenzie Kennedy repeated as an all-conference selection for the Ladybirds while senior Blair Batchelor earned her first All-Big East honor.

Sophomore Jenny Flores picked up all-conference honorable mention for Southern Nash.

Big East co-champions Northern Nash and Roanoke Rapids each had five players on the all-conference team, including Yellow Jackets’ Avery Qualls, the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Also honored from Roanoke Rapids were Casey Neal, Kamdyn Jean, Shaniah Daniels and Kara Baird.

Northern Nash’s all-conference selections were Griffin Webb, Ava Lloyd, Bailey Powell, Daijah Infranco and Sarah Cook. Franklinton, which tied Southern Nash for third place, landed Isabella Kelly, Mackenzie Allred, Chloe Scott and Isabella Evans.

The other all-conference selections as voted on by their coaches were Nash Central’s Kaylee Faile, Madison Bridgers and Addison Roughton; Rocky Mount’s Lauren Tedford and Chandler Logan and Bunn’s Mariely Baez-Hernandez and Abi Miller.

Honorable mention went to Northern Nash’s Aubrey Freeman, Roanoke Rapids’ Molly Coggins, Franklinton’s Olivia Shane, Nash Central’s Allie O’Leary, Rocky Mount’s Holidae Jackson and Bunn’s Ashley Reyes Guzman.

Craig Jean of Roanoke Rapids and Baltazar Rodriguez of Northern Nash shared the Big East Coach of the Year honor.

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